Dead Man's Chest
by jane0904
Summary: Next in the Mal/Freya series.  Jayne has a wedding to go to, so of course the rest of the crew tag along.  And there won't be trouble ... right.  Read, enjoy, review!
1. Chapter 1

Jayne sighed. His eyes were still fixed on the small Cortex screen which now only showed the wave notification instead of the recording he'd just been watching, but he was seeing something else entirely. Standing with his brother, Matty, in the chapel at Southdown Abbey, waiting for River to come down the aisle and make him the happiest man in the 'verse. They'd been joking about how the younger Cobb would be forced to take on the job if Jayne backed out.

"_Hell, Jayne," _Matty had said. _"I got me Jolene back home. She's about all I can handle."_

"_Yeah, they get you like that, don't they?"_

"_Surely do." He coughed slightly. "So, you gonna be best man when I marry Jo?"_

"_You askin'?"_

"_I'm askin'."_

"_Then I'd be proud to, Matty."_

And it looked like he was going to be held to that. Jayne reached out and pressed play again.

Matty appeared, a grin cracking his face in two, making him look younger than his years, and a happier version of his brother. He laughed, then spoke. "So Jayne, 'spect you didn't think you'd be seeing this yet, but, well, I figured something as important as this should be said face to face, or as much as I can with you outta range. Jason says he'll get this sent soon as I've finished, so I'm hoping to get a reply in the next day or two."

He glanced down, and when he looked back up there was such a light in his eyes it was almost embarrassing. "See, I finally got Jolene to name the day, and it's the nineteenth of this month. Enough time to get the banns read and all, and maybe for you to get home? I'd like to see you stand up for me as best man, like I did for you. Like you said you would. Any chance of you asking that captain of yours? I know if you got a job it might be hard, but can't hurt to ask. It'd mean a lot to me to have my big brother standing next to me when Jolene says she's gonna be my wife for ever."

He chuckled again, then coughed. "Anyway, I better go now 'fore I embarrass myself even more, and make Jason laugh himself silly. Let me know soon as you can. Look, Jayne, if it ain't you it's gonna have to be Terry, and he's gonna want to do a party, and I can only imagine where I'm gonna end if that's the case. Probably naked and strapped to a whore, like as not. So try your best, _dong mah_?"

The message ended on Matty's hopeful face, before going back to the notification. Jayne sighed again.

* * *

Simon closed the cupboard and sighed in satisfaction. For once no-one had been shot, stabbed or anything else in the last few weeks, and the supplies were lasting longer than anticipated. And with the money he'd been putting by when he could, it wouldn't be long before he'd be able to ask Mal for the upgrade to the scanner.

Not that he wanted Mal to pay for it, of course. He'd have the money to do just that, and with it he could have a much improved view of anything going on inside someone, not least his own wife. But he'd need Mal's permission, and hopefully his approval. It would make like simpler when he needed to remove any bullets, too.

He strolled out of the infirmary and up the stairs towards the kitchen, feeling a very deserved cup of coffee was in order. Or whatever they were using for coffee these days. Maybe Kaylee would join him, while the children were all busy. She could doubtless do with a break and -

"_Bao-bei?_" He ran into the engine room, going down onto his knees next to his wife, flying flat on the floor. "What is it? Did you fall?" He put his hand on her stomach, checking their unborn child.

Kaylee looked up at him, at the concern on his face, and had to smile. "It's okay, Simon. I just … felt sick, is all."

"And that had you lying on the deck?"

She levered herself into a sitting position, her expanding waistline getting in the way a little as he assisted where he could. "It was the movement," she explained, pointing up to the turning heart of Serenity. "Made my stomach do the flipflops, and rather than throwing up I thought I'd try one of those exercises 'Nara told me about. You lie on the floor, taking deep breaths from your toes … that kinda thing."

"Did it work?"

"A bit. Don't feel like I'm gonna decorate my work bench any more."

"I think I'd better check you over, make sure you're not dehydrated." He caught something flitting across her face. "_Have_ you been drinking like I told you?"

She looked guilty. "Well, I …"

"_Kaylee_." He sounded exasperated.

"It makes me wanna pee all the time," she tried to explain. "And when I'm working I can't be having that, getting half undressed just to -"

"Sweetheart, it wasn't just a recommendation that I plucked out of mid-air," Simon said, sitting down on the floor next to her. "You know you have to, if nothing else to stave off something like this." He looked down her body to her toes in their sandals, painted bright green today, and the thought occurred to him that she wouldn't be able to reach them before too much longer. "If you fainted in here, Buddha alone knows what could happen."

"My girl wouldn't hurt me."

"And if you fell in the compression coil? Or down the stairs? Then what? Serenity can't apologise if something happens to you. Or the baby."

She wanted to get mad with him, to tell him he was fussing, but in all truth she quite liked it, and was actually enjoying the attention. "I know," she admitted.

"And we've waited so long."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you suggesting it's not me you're worried about?"

He held up both hands. "Kaylee, you know full well it isn't. And you want this baby as much as me."

She cradled her belly, looking sheepish. "I surely do."

"Then will you be sensible?"

"Nah, no, now, Simon, you didn't ask for that. You asked me to drink more. And I will. I promise."

"Because if you don't, I'll tell Mal, and he'll order you to the infirmary and I'll have to hook you up to a drip."

She grimaced. "Needles."

"Exactly. And you wouldn't want that, would you?"

"Nope."

"Then I suggest you come with me now, I run a quick physical and then you have about a gallon of water."

She smiled suddenly, her internal glow switched back on. "Can we lock the door? And maybe I should give you a physical too. Just to be friendly."

He tried to glare at her. "Is that all you think about?"

She shrugged, still grinning. "Hormones."

He climbed to his feet and held out his hand. "Come on," he said, feeling his lips twitch.

"Hey, at least I ain't like Freya and the Cap," Kaylee said, letting him lead her out of her domain and towards his. "They were at it every chance they got when she was carrying."

"I think you come a close second, _bao-bei_."

She chuckled happily. "I think maybe I do."

* * *

Mal sat in the pilot's chair, staring peacefully out into the black, letting the sound of the engine wash over him, punctuated by occasional bursts of childish laughter as the kids played in the cargo bay.

"Tag," his shadow in the other seat said. "Ethan's it."

He smiled at River, her heels drawn up in front of her as usual. "Bethie's idea?"

"Of course." River counted her toes. "She's winning."

"As usual." Mal smiled. "One of these days one of the others'll complain, there'll be a big fight, followed by days of sulking. And that'll just be the parents."

"I don't sulk."

"Give it time, _xiao nu_. You just give it time." He glanced at Caleb sitting on a blanket between them, playing with some carved wooden shapes Jayne had made for him, and he idly wondered just how many children they were going to end up with, and whether Serenity could cope.

"She can."

Mal shook his head. "You know, one of these days you're gonna stop peeking."

"Unlikely. And fifteen."

"What?"

"Fifteen children."

He felt the colour drift from his face and his eyes darted towards Caleb. "You saying we're gonna have -"

"Serenity can cope with fifteen. In total. If most of the rooms are used and the table extended. We have six and one on the way. That still allows for eight more."

He relaxed. "Really."

She reached down and ran her fingers through Caleb's dark hair. "I personally intend to have another. Perhaps two. Jayne would like a dozen more, but I think that's mostly because he likes to be naked with me, to make love to me."

Mal coughed slightly. "Right."

She fixed him with her dark eyes, but there was more than a touch of mischievousness in them. "Still a prude, captain?"

"Your lovelife, as I've pointed out before, ain't none of my affair. And I'd take it as a kindness if you didn't flaunt it in front of me."

"What about your flaunting? A couple of nights ago, in the kitchen?"

Now he felt the blush race up his chest, luckily stopping before it reached his face. "That ain't flaunting, River. Frey and I were … just hungry, is all."

"Is that what you call it?"

"And you weren't supposed to be eavesdropping."

Her nose wrinkled. "People have to eat on that table, you know."

"_My_ table."

"So that means you and Frey can -"

"River."

She smiled angelically. "Just saying."

"Don't. And I think me and Frey've got first dibs on any other kids."

Footsteps behind them announced Jayne heading up the stairs to the bridge. "Someone else knocked up?" he asked, crossing the small room and making it feel even smaller.

"Not yet, _zhang fu_," River said, beaming at him.

"Good." He leaned down and swung Caleb up onto his hip. "How's my boy doing?"

The little boy laughed. "Dada," he said, stroking his father's goatee.

A smile forced its way onto his lips as his heart swelled somewhat. "That's me."

"Of course," the young mother added, only a trifle indignantly. "Who else would it be?"

"I wasn't saying nothing," Jayne said, touching his son's cheek.

"I know."

"You up here just to make the place look untidy, or is there a reason you're cluttering up my bridge?" Mal asked, turning the seat to look at the big man.

"No. Just …"

"Have to ask," River murmured.

Jayne sighed. He should have known she'd have been listening in.

"Something you need?" Mal raised an eyebrow.

He took a deep breath. Gorramit, why should he always feel like he was asking not to be hanged? Then he felt River's hand run down his thigh and he took strength from it. "Mal, I gotta be on Ezra on the nineteenth."

Mal's second eyebrow joined the first. "And why would that be?"

"You remember my brother. Matty."

"Not likely to forget there's two of you, Jayne."

"Yeah, well …"

"Oh, get it off your chest."

"Well, he's finally got up the balls and asked Jolene to marry him. Jolene Anderson, that was. Least when I knew her. Only she got married, had a couple of kids and, well, her husband up and died and she and Matty got friendly." He chuckled. "Boy always did carry a torch for her, even when he was knee high to nothing."

"And?" Mal prompted.

"They're getting married on the nineteenth, and he wants me to stand up for him, as best man." Jayne spoke quickly, worried the words might get tangled up in his mouth otherwise.

"You conjure the last time we went to one of your relative's weddings?" Mal asked, his lips twitching.

"That ain't gonna happen, Mal. That was Jangyin, this is Ezra. The two places ain't anything alike."

"Of course not."

"Look, if you ain't wanting to swing by there, you drop me and River someplace we can catch a ride."

"You _and_ River?" Mal glanced at the young psychic.

"A'course. Ain't going any place without her," Jayne said stoutly, then added in a resigned tone of voice, "Look, if you're gonna be a _kuh-ooh duh lao nao-jurn_ about it -"

"Now, don't you go putting words into my mouth. I ain't said no yet. Although you keep calling me a tyrant and I might."

"Are you going to?"

Mal glanced at River, who was studiously gazing at the panel in front of her, even though he knew full well she was listening intently. "Well, the job we've got takes us to Constance. It ain't much more of a hop to Ezra. And we could give Mooney a call. He works that sector, might be able to -"

"That a yes, then?" Jayne interrupted.

"Seems that way." He glanced out of the window, at the stars that were changing position. "Since your wife has already input a new course heading, I guess perhaps we are."

"I've merely shaved a few hours, and the new vector means we can get to Ezra in good time after," River explained.

"Is that the case," Mal said dryly. "Just don't go telling Hank he got it wrong."

"Not wrong. Just … not as right."

"Hmmn."

Jayne let out a huge sigh of relief. "Thanks, Mal. It's just … what with Matty being there when Riv and I got hitched, and us being … you know … brothers again after all this time -"

"You'll be there."

"'N' I can give the bride a kiss. Seem to recall Jolene was real pretty, even as a girl, and -" River coughed slightly, the big man jerked as if he'd been stabbed with a red hot poker. "Well, maybe not so much with the kissing."

"Good boy," she breathed, and Mal had to fight to stop the grin sliding across his face.

The laughter drifting up from the cargo bay turned to sounds of arguing and raised voices.

"I think maybe that day of one of the kids complaining has come faster than we anticipated," Mal said, standing up and preparing to go stop potential bloodshed as he strode past Jayne and his little family.

* * *

The man threw another spadeful of earth over his shoulder, and he heard it splattering onto the dirt behind him. For a moment he paused, taking a long drink from the insulated bottle at his hip. Slipping it back into its holster, he wiped the sweat from his brow, leaving a long smear of grime across his forehead.

He pulled his thin singlet from his skin, feeling it stick once more as soon as he let go, the fabric soaked through already, then bent again to his digging, the regular action monotonous and mind-numbing as he began to sing quietly.

"Fifteen men on a dead man's chest …"


	2. Chapter 2

As Serenity soared out of the atmo of Constance into the black, Hank flexed his hands on the control yoke and said, quite conversationally, "Well, that went better than anticipated."

"You think?" Zoe responded, her hand on the back of his seat.

"Nobody got seriously hurt."

"Jayne got stabbed and Mal got shot."

"Yeah, but not seriously."

Zoe couldn't help but smile. "You're as bad as Kaylee," she said, leaning down and putting her arms around his shoulders. "Always seeing things from the positive side."

"The kind of jobs we do, I think it's for the best. And Jayne was barely scratched, and Mal's was only a graze."

"You wouldn't think so, not with the way Freya was fussing. And as for River …"

There hadn't been a problem with the buyers, at least not this time, but trouble arrived with another crew who had decided it was easier to pick up such trifles as a cargo by stealing it. Only they hadn't bet on the Firefly carrying someone like River.

Hank laughed. "Surprised she left anyone alive down there."

"I don't think she actually killed anyone," Zoe pointed out.

"No, but she had blood on her, and it wasn't hers."

"Well, they hurt her husband."

He turned enough in the seat so he could see into her dark eyes, her dusky face merely inches from his. "Would you do that for me?" he asked.

She ran her hand through his untidy brown hair. "Maybe."

"Only maybe?"

"It depends on the severity of what was done to you."

"Oh? Is there a sliding scale or something?"

"Perhaps." She moved closer so their breath mingled.

"So if I lose a limb …"

"I might consider coming in your side."

"Nice to know." He lifted himself up enough so their lips could touch.

Someone coughed. Then again, this time with more meaning.

"Think perhaps you need to see the doctor for that, sir," Zoe said, not moving.

"What did I say about no sexing on my bridge?" Mal asked, stepping over the threshold.

"That we weren't to do it when you were looking?" Hank supplied.

"No. I'm pretty sure it was you weren't to do it at all." Mal crossed his arms and glared at them.

"Really?"

"Really."

Zoe stood up slowly. "Do the words pot and kettle mean anything to you, sir?"

Mal powered his glare up to maximum. "What me and my wife do, on my own ship, when everyone else has gone to bed, is between me and her."

"Of course, sir."

"First River, now you …" Mal shook his head. "And me a wounded man, too."

"I'm sure Freya will kiss it better for you."

Mal sighed. "Well, now, I'm not too sure about that. I think it might take a while before she forgives me for not ducking soon enough."

"It does seem to be an occupational hazard," Hank said. "For you, anyway."

"I don't actually go out planning to get shot, you know."

"And yet it happens on a regular basis."

Before he could formulate a suitable pithy and possibly obscene reply, hands snaked around Mal's waist, and Freya said from behind him, "Hey."

"Hey." He looked at her over his shoulder, ignoring Zoe's pointedly raised brow at this display of affection in a captain-ordered affection-free-zone. "I thought you were giving lessons."

Freya sighed, making the tiny hairs on the back of his neck tremble. "I've given up."

"What, forever?" Hank asked hopefully, seeing the ordeal of homework vanishing.

"Yes, forever." She looked at him pityingly. "Of course not forever. Just for today."

"Oh."

"The kids' mood not improved?" Mal put his hands on top of hers.

She shook her head. "None of them would say more than a couple of words, and the way they were looking at each other I'm surprised the table didn't burst into flames."

"They'll get over it."

"I know, but … it's just been longer than usual this time."

"Maybe they're a little stir-crazy," Hank suggested. "You know. Being cooped up. It's been a while since they've been able to run amuck. At least, outside."

"Yeah, I know. I figure proximity has something to do with it." Mal shrugged, then winced as the wound on his shoulder pulled. "'Cept short of locking 'em all in their rooms, I can't see a way round this."

"Maybe they can work it out on Ezra," Zoe said.

Hank, ever the diplomat, added, "And even if they don't, I hardly think you can put them all out of the airlock and start again."

"Thought hadn't crossed my mind."

"No?"

"You wanna see the airlock from the wrong side?"

"Do we know who started it yet, sir?" Zoe asked, interrupting the threatening of her husband and leaning back against the console.

Mal shook his head. "Not that I can find out." He glanced at Freya who had her chin resting on his shoulder. "You?"

"I think it was six of one and half a dozen of the other."

The others looked at her for a long moment, then Mal said, "I take it that means they were all to blame."

"Pretty much."

"You know, sometimes River makes more sense." He peered into her face. "And I'm kinda surprised you're talking to me. After I got that graze." He touched the point of his shoulder lightly with one finger and feeling the dressing Simon had used to cover the row of tiny sutures.

"I was just mad. I can't keep mending your shirts."

He moved around in her embrace to look at her. "So that was it? It wasn't because my delicate hide had been breached? Just 'cause you hate using a needle and thread?"

"That's right." She lifted her chin to gaze into the depths of his blue eyes.

"So if I buy a whole load of shirts, you won't mind if I get shot occasionally? Or if I stitched 'em back up myself?"

"Won't mind a bit," she agreed, her hands caressing the soft fabric across his back. "You can get a whole plethora of bullet holes if you like."

"A plethora." He looked thoughtful. "As many as that."

"I think she's lying, Mal," Hank put in helpfully.

"You know, I think you may be right," Mal said softly, and smiled at his wife. "Maybe I should remonstrate with her."

"Pot, kettle …" Zoe murmured, almost too low to make out the words.

Mal grinned, kissed Freya lightly on the lips then turned back to his first mate and pilot. "So, course set?"

Hank nodded. "We'll be putting into Port Town in a little under two days." He sighed. "You know, River was right. Her route is quicker. A bit," he added quickly.

"Well, soon as you feel like retiring from your job, she can take over."

"What, and give up this life of exciting adventure?" Hank turned back to the stars, ostentatiously flicking a few switches. "I don't think I could cope."

* * *

Simon pushed the drawer closed on the sealed syringes of adrenaline and looked at River. "There I was, thinking just a short while ago how we'd been lucky and no-one had been hurt for some time, then I get two patients in one day."

She picked up a used swab between two finger tips and dropped it into the medical waste bag she was carrying. "I think perhaps you tempted fate. And it was only minor," she pointed out.

"And you could have been seriously hurt, going after those men like that." He'd watched as his little sister had taken the hostile crew apart, breaking noses, arms, even a couple of legs.

"They hurt my Jayne."

"_Mei-mei_, he's a bear of a man who can handle a scratch like that."

"Might not have been a scratch. He could have been bleeding to death."

"And you getting injured would have prevented that?"

"No. You would." Empty weave packets followed the swab.

"River, you're a mother. You have to think about that before you dive head first into these things."

She turned to look at him, her gaze seeming to bore into his skull. "I do think. First."

"But then you still go ahead and do them."

"Of course."

"But the captain and Zoe could have handled it."

"And I'm a member of this crew too." She put the bag down on the counter. "Or do you think I should hide very time there's a fight?"

"Honestly? I'd be happier."

She had to smile, feeling his honest concern radiating off him like a warm blanket. "Simon, this is what I do. What I was trained for. Created to be."

He put his hand on her arm. "No, _mei-mei_. You're a beautiful young woman, who was apparently meant to be, God help me, Jayne's wife."

Her face lit up with joy.

"Glad to hear that, doc, only yours needs a little of the old TLC right now," Jayne put it.

Simon turned to see Kaylee standing in the doorway, one hand on her belly, the other over her mouth, the big man holding her up. "Simon …" she moaned quietly.

He hurried to her side, helping her into the cool room and up onto the medbed. "Sweetheart, are you -"

He couldn't finish as Kaylee threw up, loudly, into the pan River had whipped under her head. As she finished she looked up, a wretched expression on her face, and said, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Simon touched her forehead, checking as doctors had done throughout the ages for any sign of fever. "Better?" he asked.

"Not really."

She looked so unhappy that he wanted to take her into his arms and hug her, only that would have to wait. "None of the usual remedies are working," he said, taking the damp cloth from River and cleaning his wife up. "I can try to get something on Ezra, but … Kaylee, _bao-bei_, you might just have to tough it out."

"I wasn't like this with Bethie, though," Kaylee complained. "After the first couple of months it was just once in a while, not all the time." She lay back on the medbed. "I feel sick when I wake up, I feel sick when I go to bed … the only time I don't is when we're sexing."

Simon blushed slightly at her accusatory tone. "Honey, I'm just a man, and I do need some recovery time."

Jayne chortled from where he was leaning on the wall, stopping only when River shot him a look.

Kaylee pulled Simon's hand into hers, holding it tightly. "I know. And I'm sad to say there's too much for me to do to even think of getting you naked more'n I do."

"Kaylee." There was a hint of pleading in his voice as he glanced towards his sister and brother-in-law.

River rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a boob," she said, exhaling heavily. "I know you have sex. I can't _not_ know you have sex. Sometimes I know all too much that you're having sex."

The blush deepened across Simon's pale cheeks. "_Mei-mei_, that's not something you should be saying."

"I'm psychic," she pointed out, somewhat unnecessarily. "I can't help it."

"No, but you can help being a brat."

"But I like being that." She grinned, looking like the young girl she'd once been.

"'Sides, you'd have to be deaf not to know," Jayne added. "Worse'n the Cap and Frey sometimes. There's been times I'd wondered if you were killing a cat, the amount of screamin' going on. And that was just you."

Simon bristled visibly. "Jayne -"

"'Scuse me?" Kaylee interrupted. "I don't mind you talking like this, but I'm the one who's feeling poorly."

Simon turned his attention back to the most important woman in his life. "Sorry. Well, I can run a few tests, make sure there's nothing else that could be making you feel like this."

A scared look crossed Kaylee's face. "You mean something wrong with the baby?" She looked down at her bump.

"No. There's nothing wrong with him," he assured her quickly. "He's fine. But you might have picked up an infection, or perhaps you're low in something … It'll take an hour or two, but I'd like to rule anything like that out."

"And it if isn't?"

"Well, as I said I might be able to pick up some different medications on Ezra. But there's no guarantee they'll be any more effective."

"But we can try?"

"Of course."

"Good." She relaxed a little. "'Cause I got work I got to get back to."

"Not right now you haven't. You're going to rest. And I think you need to think about getting Freya back up to speed on how the engine works."

Kaylee looked doubtful. "She's not really … I mean, she's okay, but -"

"It's not a suggestion."

She was going to argue, but saw the look in his eye. "Okay, Simon," she said meekly.

"I have an idea." River smiled, patted Kaylee's belly once, then ran out of the room and up the stairs.

"Do you have any idea what she's talking about?" Simon asked Jayne.

The big ex-mercenary shook his head. "'Spect she'll tell us in her own good time," he said, more tolerant of his wife's idiosyncrasies than anyone else on the boat, including her brother. "And if it's something dangerous, I'm thinking she'll post a sign 'fore she does it." He chuckled and followed River up towards their shuttle.

* * *

The next two days passed easily enough, with people either healing, throwing up, or waiting for a response to a particular wave they'd sent.

Mal did get a slight infection in his shoulder, which meant Freya was alternately fussing and annoyed, and Simon had to break into his supplies once again to give him several doses of antibiotics. This made Mal cranky. Well, more cranky than usual.

Kaylee, in the meantime, was feeling somewhat sorry for herself, her naturally sunny disposition subdued under the need to puke and the need to pee, often both at the same time. Simon did what he could, but as he'd said, he did need _some_ rest.

River just floated around the ship with an enigmatic smile on her face, even more so when Hank said there was a private message arrived for her, which she took in the privacy of the shuttle.

At least the tension had eased between the children, although not so much that Ethan and Bethie didn't jump back like scalded cats as they reached for the same hunk of bread at dinner. Mal forbore to comment, privately considering that the least said, soonest mended. He then berated himself internally for resorting to phrases that would have been better coming from Freya.

Only Jayne seemed like himself, and he spent most of the time in the cargo bay, either working out on his weights, Bethie beside him on her child-sized bench, or attempting to write the best man's speech for the wedding reception. Mal got used to finding balled-up sheets of paper scattered throughout his Firefly.

Eventually, though, they broke through Ezra's top layers, leaving a long streak of vapour in their wake, hanging in the sky like an arrow.

The man in the desert below looked up, noting the direction. It looked like the ship was heading for Port Town, a safe distance off, and his hand relaxed on the rifle at his side. The water from the small spring had overflowed the bottle and was now running down his hand, and he quickly screwed the top back on, shaking the excess off so it flicked onto the scorching sand, drying immediately.

He closed his eyes, letting the heat of the sun seep into his body, warming muscles that were being over-used. It would only take a few more hours digging, though, and he'd be there. That is, if one of the many props he'd had to employ didn't give out, and bury him under several tonnes of soil and rock.

Despite the high temperature he shivered, and his resolve wavered. Then the ghost at his shoulder whispered in his ear, and he straightened up with renewed determination. Grabbing his spade, he headed back into the cool of the tunnel towards his destiny.


	3. Chapter 3

Serenity put down in her designated spot next to a fairly new Clipper, and her engines went to idling before stopping entirely. After a few moments, as the dust settled, the ramp lowered and the man and woman waiting looked up expectantly.

Matty couldn't have grinned wider unless his head split as Jayne strode out of the Firefly. He held out a hand. "Good to see you, bro."

Jayne just pulled his brother into a manly hug, thumping him on the back and ignoring the slight sting of the cut across his ribs. "Missed me?"

"Not that much," Matty wheezed.

Jayne laughed. "Figured as much." He moved back, thrusting his hands into his pants pockets. "About time, too. You and Jolene."

"Yeah, well, thought I'd better. Seeing as I said I would." Matty punched his brother on the shoulder. "Glad you could make it."

"Hell, you think I'd miss out on the opportunity to make you feel uncomfortable?"

"Not too uncomfortable," said a woman as she moved forward, linking her arm through Matty's. "If he turns up at the wedding with a shaved head or a broken leg, I'll know exactly where to come, Jayne Cobb."

Matty looked at her, love showing on his face. "He wouldn't do that."

"No?"

The younger Cobb laughed. "Jayne, you remember Jolene."

Jayne nodded, studying her. "Been a while."

"Longer'n that." She smiled, letting her future brother-in-law look her up and down. The last time he'd seen her she was eight or so, so she knew she'd changed a lot in the intervening years.

"I'd'a still known ya," he said, and it wasn't all gallantry. She hadn't really aged, her face as smooth and young as it had always been. Otherwise, Jolene was almost as tall as Matty, and statuesque, complementing her fiancé perfectly. She was obviously in her Sunday best, a floral sprigged dress that reached her midcalves, showing a very fine pair of ankles. Her hair, the colour of fresh-cut straw, was done up in a roll at her neck, and of such thickness that no-one was in any doubt that when it was released from its confines it would reach at least to her waist. Tiny curls had escaped in front of her ears, and the fingers on her left hand were playing with them, the only sign of nervousness she showed.

"Do I get a hug?" she asked.

Jayne glanced towards Serenity, then quickly put his arms around her, squeezing briefly before letting go.

River coughed behind him and Jayne jumped.

"Hi, sis-in-law," Matty said, grinning.

"Brother-in-law." River stepped forward, Caleb sitting on her hip, and smiled. "You look well."

"Getting there," he agreed. "That medicine your bro gave me seems to have done the trick."

"Simon's good for something."

Jayne snorted with amusement, then said, "Riv, this here's Jolene. She's the one Matty's gonna marry, although why she ever said yes, I'll never know."

Matty glared at him. "She loves me, you great oaf."

"Less with the insults."

"Why? Not like you don't deserve them."

"You want we should take this down the corral? Get it out of our system?" Jayne offered.

"You mean like last time?"

"You lost."

"I've been working out since then."

"Not enough." Jayne flexed his muscles, knowing the geisha t-shirt was straining across his torso.

Jolene looked between the pair of them, her gaze wary, wondering whether she should say something to stop them fighting.

"It's all right," River said with a sigh. "They're not going to start hitting each other."

"No?" Jayne asked, glaring at his brother.

"No."

There was a pause, then both Cobbs broke into laughter, hugging each other again.

Jolene narrowed her eyes at them. "You're as bad as each other," she noted.

"Worse," River added.

"You said it." Jolene looked at the little boy whose wide-eyed blue gaze was accompanied by frenzied sucking on the thumb in his mouth. "And this is?"

"Caleb. My son." Jayne stuck his chest out proudly.

"Looks just like you. 'Cept you got a few more teeth."

"Hey!"

Matty chuckled. "Last time I saw him, he was just a very big bump." He glanced at River's svelte figure. "Looks like you're back in shape, though."

"My Jayne keeps me on my toes," the young woman said, reaching up and putting a soft kiss on her husband's cheek.

Jolene smiled. "And is this all o' you? Only Matty said –"

"Nope, there's a load more." Jayne nodded back over his shoulder. "They're being polite and givin' us a little time to be family."

"Not that polite," Matty observed, seeing Mal stalking down the ramp, his thumbs hooked into his gunbelt, the others following on behind.

"Yeah, well, they never had much in the way of manners," Jayne observed.

"Jayne, septic vat ain't been done in a while," Mal pointed out, joining the small group. "And I gather this lovely young lady is the bride?" He smiled at her, noting the faint pink blush that ran across her freckle-sprinkled cheeks.

"I bet you're Captain Reynolds," Jolene said, laughing. "Matty said you had the gift of the gab." They shook hands. "And it's been a while since I was a young lady. 'Specially since I figure we're about the same age."

"Please don't encourage him," Freya said, moving closer. "He can be difficult enough to live with as it is." She smiled. "And you're right. This is Mal, and I'm Freya."

"Mrs Reynolds."

"No, now. You call me by my first name, or I might just take offence."

"And you don't want that," Jayne put in. "You think Mal's mean …" He winced as Freya hit him on the pad of his bicep.

"Uncle Matty!" Bethie ran out of the Firefly, Fiddler bouncing around her feet.

Matty scooped her up, planting a big kiss on her cheek. "Hiya, Bethie. How're you doing?"

"Shiny!" She giggled. "Is there going to be a party?"

He put her back on her feet. "Well, as it happens, yes there is."

"Good." She grinned and turned to Kaylee. "Momma, I need a new dress."

"We'll see."

Jolene looked from one to the other until Freya decided enough was enough and made the rest of the introductions, leaving the children until last. She pointed to the small group standing together. "That's Ethan and Jesse, they're mine and Mal's. The little blonde sweetie is Hope, she's Simon and Kaylee's like Bethie here, and that one holding her hand is Ben, he's Zoe and Hank's." She smiled. "Don't worry, you'll get to know who we all are eventually."

"Oh, I feel like I do anyway, with what Matty's told me." She chuckled. "There's so many of you. Do you all get on?"

Bethie made a face, and surreptitiously stuck her tongue out at Ethan, who did the same back.

"Mostly," Freya sighed.

"Little birdies in their nests …"Jolene murmured, then looked surprised when Bethie fixed her with her gaze.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It's an old saying," Jolene explained. "Little birdies in their nests agree. It's something about if they don't they toss each other out, and fall to the ground, and since they can't get back into the nest, they die." She shrugged. "My own Momma had a whole host of mottos like that."

"Oh." She absorbed the information.

Mal couldn't help his lips twitching. "You know," he said to Jolene, "You and my wife here are going to get on like a house on fire." Then he winced as Freya trod accidentally on his foot.

* * *

Hank made sure Serenity was locked up tight, then followed the others on towards the house. They had to walk past the cemetery on their way, and Jayne looked over wistfully as they ambled along.

"You can go and see her," River said softly, her small hand engulfed in his.

"Never intended any different." Jayne spoke quietly in return. "It's just … all that time, not seeing her, not being able to tell her how I felt about her, losing out on so much …"

She squeezed. "You _did_ see her. Spoke to her. She watched you get married. Knew about Caleb." She half leaned into him, their son on her hip the other side. "She was happy, Jayne."

"I just wish –"

"Steak."

He glanced down at her, then had to smile. "Yeah. Maybe you're right."

"Of course I am." _When am I not?_ she added into his brain, and he growled a chuckle.

Matty and Jolene led them to a street just a little further on, where they stopped outside an unfamiliar house.

"Hey, ain't you living at home?" Jayne called.

Matty grinned, looking down at his boots. "Well, I am, but seeing as Jolene's was bigger, and she's got two kids already and they need to have their own rooms, we kinda felt …"

"You living in sin?"

"No!"

"Just checkin'."

Mal sighed. "Ignore him. He ain't been right since he became a Pa."

"And where are they?" Freya asked, her face open and smiling. "Your children, I mean."

Jolene opened the door and ushered them all inside. "At school, of course."

Jayne screwed his face up. "What day is it?"

She looked at him oddly. "Thursday."

"Right." He grinned, and everyone could see what he might have been like if he hadn't become a mercenary. "It ain't surprising, Jolene. Up in the black there's not much call to keep track of days. I'm lucky if I can remember what month it is."

"And usually not even that," Hank added.

Jayne considered hitting him, just for the look of things, then just nodded and said, "True."

Only River was still in the open, and she was staring out into the desert, towards the low hills that edged the world, wondering why she was feeling unsettled. Then …

"Mama!" Caleb took all her attention with that one word, wiping a soggy digit down her cheek.

She flashed him a blissful smile and he chattered to her in his nonsense language.

"Moonbrain, you comin' in?" Jayne stood in the doorway.

She let the worry slip away and followed her husband.

* * *

Matty was waiting by a table set with a variety of cakes and sandwiches. "I hope you're hungry."

"Yum," Bethie said, and the other children echoed her.

"Good," Jolene smiled. "Then dig in."

"You really shouldn't say that where our kids are concerned," Zoe said, laughing gently as her son led the way to the table, clambering onto a chair and picking up a handful of goodies. "One at a time," she advised, taking his swag from him and putting it on a plate.

"Sorry, Momma," he said, climbing down carefully and sitting on the floor before starting to eat.

"They're just children," Jolene said. "And I don't mind. Mine are twelve and fourteen, and they act like they're so grown up, so it's nice to have youngsters around the house again."

"Good job you do." Mal shook his head slightly. "I think we'd better wait. Don't wanna get trampled in the rush."

Hope giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hands at her funny Uncle Mal, then went and sat down next to Ben with a selection Simon got for her.

Jolene watched them. "They always like that?"

Kaylee nodded. "Ever since they were babies. Always holding hands and such."

"And you?" The older woman nodded down. "How far along?"

"Six months."

"Is it going easy?"

"Wish it were."

"Sickness?"

"Yeah."

"Sorry to hear that."

Kaylee smiled. "Be worth it, though. Three months and it'll all be over bar the shouting, the midnight feeds and diaper changing."

Simon moved closer. "Talking of which … well, the sickness anyway … is there a decent dispensary in town?"

Jolene shrugged. "Not so's you'd notice. Gilford's got most of what people need, but for anything else you really have to wait for the medship that comes once a month."

"Alliance?" Mal asked, his shoulders tightening.

"Them and Blue Sun. Not that they do much good." Matty shook his head. "They charge you an arm and a leg, then their medicines don't work. How they justify doing what they do, taking good money from folks that don't have any, I don't know."

It was obviously an old argument, and Jolene put her hand on his arm. "But you're better now."

"And if I didn't work for Jason I'd be back down those mines."

"Matty." Just the one word, but there was a wealth of love and understanding in it, as well as an unspoken plea to let it drop.

"You working for at Gilford's now?" Jayne asked, easing the tension, whether he intended to or not.

"Yeah. Well, Jason's not been so good since Ma died, so when he needed some help in the store I said I'd do it. And seeing as I _am_ a lot better, seemed like the best thing to do."

"Would it help if I took a look at him?" Simon offered.

"Sure couldn't hurt."

"I'll need to get my things from the ship." He started for the door, but one raised eyebrow from Kaylee stopped him. "Later," he added quickly, earning an approving smile from his wife.

"So," Mal said, rubbing his hands together and attempting to lighten things more. "What are the plans for this here shindig of a wedding?"

"Uncle Matty said a party?" Bethie asked hopefully around a cream puff.

"Sweetie, don't talk with your mouth full," her father chastised lightly.

"Sorry Daddy." She wiped the crumbs off her top.

Matty grinned, then stood a little taller. "Well, the ceremony itself is on the nineteenth, like I told Jayne, and that's the weekend after this, but there's more stuff before that. We've got a lot of traditions on Ezra, and Jolene here is anxious to make sure we stick to every one."

"Already hen-pecked?" Jayne joked.

Matty ignored him. "This Sunday coming there's the big party, kind of a pre-wedding reception, when everyone turns up and gives their gifts."

Hank stirred. "We gotta give presents?"

Bethie bounced a little.

"It's traditional," Freya explained.

"I don't recall getting anything when I got married." He crossed his arms.

"You got me," Zoe murmured.

"Oh." He grinned. "Right."

"Anyway, it ain't obligatory, and I ain't holding it against anyone that doesn't," Matty continued.

"Do I get something?" Bethie asked, tugging on her mother's dress, leaving a smear of cream.

"Hush," Kaylee said, feeling her stomach doing somersaults again at the smell of the food. "And no, you don't."

"Oh."

The little girl looked so disappointed Matty went down onto his heels in front of her. "Well, now, that's maybe not quite right. Are you going to be one of Jolene's bridesmaids?"

Bethie's eyes opened wide. "Can I? I'm good at that."

"Katie, Jolene's daughter, is gonna be maid of honour, but then I get to choose. And I choose you."

"Thank you!" Bethie was now so pleased she could hardly contain herself, shining like the sun.

"And maybe the bridesmaid'll get a present of her very own."

If anything Bethie's chest swelled even more.

"How come she always gets to do stuff?" Ethan was glaring at his almost-sister.

"You want to be a bridesmaid?" Freya asked, pushing his hair out of his face.

"No, but … it's not fair."

"I'm sure, if you want, Matty will let you be a page boy."

"Does that mean I'd have to dress up all fancy?" Ethan asked, doing a more than creditable impression of his father.

"Probably."

"Well …" It was clear he was trying to decide.

"Of course, if you're a good boy I might be able to find something a young man wants." She leaned down to whisper in his ear. "Only don't tell anyone else."

He grinned at her.

"Anyway," Matty went on, "First of all on Friday, that's tomorrow, Jolene has to move out of the house, so she's going to get settled into the old place with her female relatives –"

"Only I ain't got any still living, apart from Katie, so I'm hoping maybe some of you ladies will come with me," Jolene interrupted. "Even if it's only for the first night."

Kaylee nodded happily. "Do we get to sit around and you tell stories about when Jayne was young?"

"Something like that. Not that I know many, seeing as I was pretty young myself when he left, but I'm sure we can make some up."

"We're not relatives," Zoe pointed out.

"Yeah, but Matty keeps saying you all think of yourselves as family, and since Jayne is about to become my brother-in-law, I think that about qualifies." She smiled hopefully. "You will, won't you?"

"We'd be delighted," Freya said.

Jolene breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I mean, I got a couple of my girl friends coming, but that'd just be us sitting around talking about what we always talk about. At least with you there I might hear something else other than Deirdra going on about her husband's philandering, and Carmen's lack of the same."

Matty put his arm around her. "I think it's meant to prove the bride's a virgin, but since that pretty much isn't the case nowadays it's … well, you know. But it's traditional."

Everyone nodded, even Mal, who didn't have much truck with traditions on a good day.

"Just so long as you don't think you're going to be talking about me," Jayne added.

"Or any of us," Simon put in.

"What, you don't want us to tell Jolene about your experience with those handcuffs Kaylee bought?" Zoe asked, straight-faced.

Simon's reply was drier than the desert outside even as his cheeks burned with a pale fire in remembrance. "I'd rather you didn't."

"Spoilsport."

"So where'll you be?" Kaylee asked Matty, swallowing to try and keep the nausea under control. "I mean, if Jolene's moving to your place …"

"I'll be staying in a room over the store. Just so's we can say we spent this next week apart."

"Not in here?"

"Ah, no, that'd be wrong. See, when we leave the wedding and come here, it has to be like we're moving in together for the first time." He shrugged.

"Tradition?" Mal asked.

"Yeah." Matty laughed. "Believe me, trying to keep track of all these damn things can be pretty hard."

"Matty. Language." Jolene frowned at him then glanced at the children.

"I wouldn't worry too much." Mal smiled. "They've heard worse."

"Daddy burned his fingers last week," Ben said, his little voice piping up. "He said -"

Hank coughed loudly then asked quickly, "What about the stag party?" He leaned over his rather too accurate son and snagged one of the sandwiches.

Matty shook his head firmly. "Nope. Not having one of them."

"But it's traditional. And if we're really going down the whole tradition route …"

"If the man doesn't want one, he doesn't have to have one," Mal said, gathering a sedate plateful of food and passing it to Freya.

"Hank's right," Jayne said.

"I am?" The pilot looked astonished.

"He is?" Mal was almost as surprised.

"Sure. I know Matty's worried about being left naked somewhere tied to a …" He stopped and changed what he was about to say. "To a tree someplace, but I wouldn't do that. But we gotta at least go out and get drunk." He patted his brother so hard on the back he nearly fell over. "It's traditional."

Matty eased his shoulders and looked into Jayne's face, at the familiar eyes, and the all too roguish look, and remembered back when he was young, and the things their mother never knew about. "Oh, God," he murmured.


	4. Chapter 4

He'd lost track of time. He could have been digging for a day, or a month, or a thousand years, and it would still have felt the same. He was too far from the entrance to see if it was sunlight or stars outside, and the darkness, broken only by the light from the lamp next to him, wrapped around him, touching his skin at all points, fighting for possession with the dirt encrusted into his flesh.

He'd only paused for a protein bar when the hunger pangs got too bad, and for a mouthful of water that made the whispers louder and more insistent, almost fighting with each other for control of him.

Swinging his spade into the wall of earth in front of him, he almost overbalanced as the edge met no resistance. His face splitting into a rictus grin, he attacked the remaining dirt, seeing it fall away in front of him until there was nothing but a gaping mouth of black.

He picked up the lamp, leaning through the hole and letting the thin light wash through.

There. There it was, resting in all its glory, the marks of its passage hidden beneath fallen rocks and damaged supports. It looked whole, complete, at least from this side, but even he could tell it would never fly again. The thrusters were damaged out of all recognition, and the flight planes buckled.

He walked forwards, stumbling on debris but ignoring it, until he was up against the hull, his face pressed against the cold metal. His fingertips outlined the flag painted there, scored by a thousand micro-meteorites but still visible, a version not seen for almost half a millennium, and he sighed in utter completeness.

"Mine," he murmured, and the voices in his head cheered silently with him.

* * *

Friday dawned clear and cool, the crew of Serenity waking slowly in their various beds. Mal thought he was the first one up, but he could smell coffee brewing in the kitchen, and as he stepped down into the galley he realised River was behind the small counter, making breakfast.

"Ain't it Jayne's turn to burn stuff?" he asked, scratching his head then pushing his hair flat again.

"We swapped," the young woman said, flipping a pancake to brown the other side. "He's out."

"Oh? Doing what?"

"Visiting." She looked at him, her big dark eyes asking him to understand.

"His Ma?" Mal said quietly.

She smiled at him. "First chance."

"Seems he's got his priorities straight," Mal said approvingly as he poured himself a coffee. "You know, there was a time I wondered whether she ever existed at all, that the things he got sent to him was all some kind of elaborate ruse." He reached for one of the pancakes on the stack, and she swatted him lightly with the spatula on the back of his hand.

"Not ready yet," she admonished. "_Your _momma wouldn't let you eat standing up."

He grinned. "You ain't wrong there, albatross."

* * *

Out in the cemetery Jayne was hunkered down by a grave stone, his fingers brushing the dust from the top even as he read the inscription. It had two names, two dates, one for his father and the other for his mother, and underneath was written _Together in peace forever_.

"Hope you are, Ma," he muttered, laying the small bunch of wildflowers he'd picked from a bank next to the entrance down onto the earth. "At peace, I mean." He half-smiled. "And that Pa's treating you right. 'Spect he is, seeing as I know he loved you. 'Cause that's kinda the way I feel 'bout River. Being together forever, ashes to ashes 'n'all."

There was no answer, but he felt a deep warmth fill him, and he wondered if maybe River and Mal had the right of it, and that there were things like ghosts around, keeping an eye on them all.

"Gonna bring 'em to see you, just so's you can get a good look at my son, but this time was just for me. Miss you," he added, then glanced up as he heard someone walk up behind him.

"Thought you might be here," Matty said. "Saw you looking as we came past yesterday."

"Yeah, well." Jayne stood up, dusting himself down as he tried to push the faint discomfiture at being caught under control. "Was that your idea? The head stone?"

"Kinda. We all came up with it."

"Even Gilford?"

Matty smiled. "Jason paid for it. Told the man doing the carving exactly what to put."

"And what happens when he gets to the end of his three score and ten? He gonna go in the same hole?"

"Nope. But there's a space reserved next door."

Jayne couldn't help laughing. "There's likely to be some arguing in the afterlife."

"With Ma around?" Matty joined in. "I think she's gonna have words over that."

"More'n like."

"So, you gonna help me move my stuff?"

"Sure." They walked out of the cemetery together, towards the old house. "You know, you don't have to go to Gilford's," Jayne added. "I'm pretty sure the Cap won't mind if you bunk down with us."

"Nah, that's okay. I mean, it's all arranged."

"So? Unarrange it. 'Sides, if Jolene's so all-fire intent on those traditions, then you're supposed to spend your last nights of freedom with your family too. And as far as I can tell, that's me."

Matty gnawed on his lower lip. "I don't know. I mean, Jason's been like a Pa to me, these last few years. And -"

"Then bring him too. Hell, the more the merrier."

"Won't Mal object?"

Jayne waved away his captain's possible opposition, still feeling full of the warmth of family. "Nah. We got space."

"I guess I can ask."

"Good. That's settled." They ambled along for a while, then Jayne asked, "So how'd you pop the question?"

"I bought her a bunch of honey roses, her favourites as it happens, then went down on one knee."

"What'd she say?"

Matty grinned, somewhat ruefully. "Told me I was crazy wasting money on buying something as useless as flowers, then said if I'd shillyshallied much longer she was thinking she was gonna have to ask me herself."

"Seems like we've got ourselves tied up with a pair of strong women," Jayne observed, stepping up onto the porch of his old home.

"I guess we have." Matty opened the door. "Come on inside."

Things hadn't changed, and Jayne wondered why he thought they would. Even the old comforter still lay on the back of the sofa by the empty fireplace, its faded colours reminding him of the day he'd wrapped it around his mother, after -

"Ain't done nothing with it," Matty said, breaking into his thoughts. "Seemed wrong, somehow."

"What's gonna happen to it? I mean, if you and Jolene are moving into her place … you intending on selling it?" Jayne couldn't help the twang in his chest at the thought of it.

"Don't know," Matty admitted. "Ma left it to the both of us, me and you, so you'd have to agree. I was thinking of renting it out, seeing as there's a whole load of young folk starting out with no place to live, but …."

Jayne swallowed the lump in his throat. "You know, I think that'd be right. Give someone a good start as couldn't otherwise."

"And it'd still be ours. Yours, if you wanted one day."

"You mean me and River?"

"Yeah. Someplace you could call home."

Dragging his heart out of his boots, Jayne forced a laugh. "Nah. Me and Riv, we're not planning on retiring any time soon. Too many places to go, people to kill."

Matty's eyes widened, then he realised his brother was joking. Mostly. "Sure. Anyway, it'll be here if you need it."

"Thanks, Matty." Jayne nodded towards the stairs. "So, we'd better get your stuff together, _dong mah_?"

* * *

It didn't take long to pack enough for Matty to survive the next week, and Jayne couldn't help smiling as they stood in their old room, although it seemed a lot smaller than it ever had done. Not that it had changed either, down to the marks on the wall where they'd checked how tall they were growing when they were children.

He glanced at his brother. "You gonna have more kids? I mean, over and above Jolene's pair?"

Matty shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, we're not exactly kids ourselves, and it's … I don't know."

"Oh, bro." Jayne chuckled throatily. "I'm eight years older'n you, and I only just got to be a Dad."

"And River's young enough for both of you."

"True. But Frey's aching for another, and the Cap's doing what he can. Then there's Hank and Zoe, and they ain't striplings either. I figure age don't have a thing to do with it." He looked his brother in the eye. "You want kids?"

Matty sat down on the edge of the bed. "Oh, Jayne. More'n anything. To hold something that was made out of me and Jolene, just a few minutes old. Hell, I'd have a hundred if I could."

"And Jo? What does she think?"

"We've …" Matty managed to look embarrassed. "We've not exactly talked about it."

If he'd expected his brother to find it hilarious, or maybe berate him in exasperation, he was mistaken. "Well," Jayne said quietly. "It'll give you something to discuss during the long winter nights coming. That is, when you ain't sexing each other to a standstill."

"Jayne!"

"What?"

"You don't …" Matty looked around the small room. "We were babies here, Jayne."

"So?"

"Talking about … that kind of thing … it's not right. Disrespectful."

Jayne had to laugh out loud. "Matty, if you knew where I'd done stuff, with whom -"

The younger Cobb held up his hand. "Stop. Right there. And not right now."

"Tonight, for sure," Jayne said, slapping his brother on the back again. "I'll give you benefit of my wide and varied experience."

"Is River going to let you?" Matty asked shrewdly. "Only she doesn't exactly seem to like you talking about things like that. You know, before you two got together."

"My moonbrain knows me. What I am. More'n you could possibly imagine. And loves me for me." Jayne smiled, but this time it was tender. "Don't know how I managed to ever be so gorram lucky, but I ain't doing a thing to jeopardise that. Not ever."

Matty nodded. "I know what you mean. That's how I feel about Jolene."

"Good."

Standing up, Matty thrust the last of his clean shirts into the bag. "Ready," he said.

"Then we'd best be getting back."

As they reached the door, though, Matty stopped. "Wait. Almost forgot." He darted back to the bed, going down on his knees and reaching underneath. "I was cleaning out the attic a few weeks ago, and found this." He scrabbled deeper. "Where the hell is it?"

"What?" Jayne asked, stepping closer, his curiosity itching to be scratched.

* * *

Mal stood on the ramp, a mug of coffee in his hand as he watched the two Cobbs heading back towards the ship. There might be eight years between them, but since Matty had been getting better and putting on weight, it was like looking at one of those fairground mirrors that only distorted things a little. _Two of 'em_, he thought to himself. _What did I do to deserve this?_

It seemed like River had been right, though. They'd been just finishing breakfast when she'd stood up, saying she had to get a room ready for Matty, and ran out of the kitchen.

"Cap," the elder Cobb said as they got closer.

"Jayne."

"Matty's staying with us for the week." He didn't ask, since in his experience requests were often turned down, whereas a statement might not be.

"Really."

"Otherwise it was being in that dusty old room over the store, and that wouldn't be any good for his lungs."

"Well, it's not that bad -" Matty began, but stopped at his brother's look.

Mal felt his lips twitch. "It's okay," he said. "River's putting clean sheets on the bed."

Jayne looked relieved, but it was so fleeting it might have been gas. "Shiny." He added, "We dropped by Gilford's on the way back, asked if he wanted to come too, but he said no. He's coming with us tonight, though."

"Tonight?"

"Matty's stag do."

"God, I'd forgotten." Mal took a quick mouthful of coffee.

"We're all of us going. All the men."

"Even Simon?"

"Yep," Jayne agreed magnanimously. "Even him."

"Does he know?"

"Soon will."

"I'm sure he'll enjoy it."

"Give him something to write in that journal of his other than how many bullets he took out of us." He chortled, then pushed Matty forwards. "Come on. I'll take you through."

They walked into the cargo bay, then came face to face with Bethie, standing in the middle of the floor, smiling widely at Matty.

"You can play with me," she announced. "I like to play pirates."

Matty looked down at the little girl. "I remember. But what about your … Ethan and the rest?"

Bethie screwed her face up. "Not speaking to them."

Mal sighed. "What now?"

"Nothing," the little girl admitted. "Just not." Her foot began to roll. "So I need someone to play with."

Matty chuckled. "Okay. But I got to put my stuff away first, okay?"

"'Kay." She turned to her Uncle Jayne. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to something under his arm.

"What, this?" Jayne took it out, holding it in both hands.

"Mmn." She moved closer.

"What does it look like?"

"Pirate's chest," she said immediately, staring at the metal bands holding the small box together, the lid made from slats of wood forced into a curve, an empty lock like an eye at the front.

Jayne grinned. "Maybe it is. It was mine," he added. "Matty found it, said maybe I'd like to have it back." He went down onto his heels. "When I was pretty much your age, I used to keep my special things in it, you know, stuff I'd found, bits and pieces and the like." He tilted his head slightly. "You wanna look after it for me?"

Bethie's eyes widened. "Can I?"

"Gotta keep it safe. No drawing on it or anything," Jayne said, handing it across.

Bethie cradled it like a baby but glared at him. "Uncle Jayne."

The big man ruffled her hair. "I know, short stub."

"I'll go and put it somewhere safe right now!" She turned on her heel, running towards the lower crew quarters.

"Whatever she's on, can I have some?" Matty asked, watching her go.

"I think we've all felt like that, one day or another," Mal admitted, then looked at his ex-mercenary. "Nothing in there gonna leap up and bite her, is it?"

Jayne shook his head. "Nah. Tossed most of the junk 'fore we got here." He didn't mention the small Bible he'd found inside, which was even now tucked carefully inside his back pocket. It had been a gift, a present for his fifth birthday from his Ma, inscribed in her rounded hand to him personally. Matty had seen him remove it, but hadn't spoken, knowing his own was sitting at the bottom of the bag on his shoulder. "There's only a few trinkets in there still," the big man added.

Mal couldn't stop his lips twitching. "You? Trinkets?"

Jayne just growled and stomped towards the back of the cargo bay, Matty trying hard not to laugh as he followed.

* * *

Bethie set the box down next to her ship in a bottle, running her hands over the edges, imagining what might be inside before lifting the lid.

"What's that?"

She slammed it closed, spinning on her heel to face Ethan in the doorway. "Nothing."

"Don't look like nothing."

"And I said it's nothing."

Ethan tried to see past her, but she blocked him, moving from side to side to keep herself between him and the box.

"Fine," he said at last, giving up. "Mama says it's time for lessons."

She faked a smile. "I'll be along."

"Now."

The smile switched off. "In a minute."

"Mama said –"

"In a minute!" She crossed her little arms, a stubborn look set on her face.

Ethan sighed, resisting the temptation to remind her that his Daddy was captain so she had to do what he said. He'd tried that a few days ago, and it hadn't gone down well. Instead he shrugged, very expressively, before heading back to the stairs without another word.

Bethie waited until she could hear his footsteps fade to nothing, then looked round at the small chest again. Her eyes narrowed as the thought crossed her mind that Ethan might take the opportunity to sneak a peek before she could thoroughly explore it on her own, and that would never do. She had to do something to stop him.

Taking one of the blankets from the mattress, she wrapped the chest inside, folding it over and around the box until it was just one big lump of fabric. Pleased with her efforts, she opened the loose panel under her bed and slid the entire thing inside, pushing it until it was against the corner of the two walls and could go no further. Replacing the panel she stood up, dusting her hands, a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Bethie!" Freya's voice echoed down the stairs. "You've got thirty seconds …"

Taking one last glance to make sure nothing out of the ordinary was obvious, Bethie called, "Coming!" and ran out of her room.


	5. Chapter 5

River adjusted Jayne's collar, smoothing the striped shirt down over his biceps. This wasn't his old 'whoring' shirt – that had finally been relegated to the rag bin after a particularly energetic bout of love-making when he'd ripped it more or less in half in his urgency to get at River's soft tender flesh. This was new, picked out for him at their last stop by that same loving wife who now stood back to take in the effect.

"So? Will I do?" he asked, noting her critical look.

She closed one eye. "I think …" With a delicate finger she brushed a tiny piece of lint from his shoulder. "You'll pass in a crowd."

He grinned, then lifted his head as the rest of the male members of the crew descended into the cargo bay.

"I'd be quite happy to stay behind," Simon was saying.

Hank grinned, his own crisp white shirt making his grey eyes seem almost blue. "Nope. Be good for you to get out. And I'm not going with Jayne on my own."

"You won't be on your own. Mal's going."

"Hey, don't get me involved," the captain said quickly.

"Besides," Hank went on, "you need some fresh air. You're looking pasty."

"Pasty? I'm likely to be looking green if we have too much to drink." Simon adjusted the tie Kaylee had made him wear, saying he looked 'kinda neat' in it.

"Ain't there some saying or such about physician heal thyself?" Mal asked, having refused point blank to dress up and was thus more than comfortable in his oldest brown shirt and usual pants.

"Oh, I intend to. Doctor's prerogative."

"There can be a bit too much of that sort of thing, if you're not careful." His lips curved. "Remember Carson's Moon that time?"

Simon blushed, just across his cheekbones, as memories of too much smoother before going on stage as an actor almost overwhelmed him.

Freya, following them down, laughed. "Just try and keep them out of trouble."

"Trouble?" Mal turned to look at her, stopping her on the step above him. "Since when do we get into trouble just going into a bar for a quiet drink?"

She put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him lightly. "When don't you?"

Deciding it was a rhetorical question, Mal pulled her down for something deeper and more fulfilling.

"Ready?" Matty asked, joining them from the common area.

Simon sighed, Hank rubbed his hands together, and Mal reluctantly let go of his wife.

"Think so," Jayne said, opening the airlock door onto the dusk.

"Thought you were gonna keep me waiting out here all night!" said a tall, thin man with a shock of bright red hair.

Matty grinned. "Terry, you don't have to worry. You'll be getting outside a beer 'fore long."

"Thank God for that. My stomach was beginning to think my throat'd been cut." Terry leaned in the doorway. "Been a while since I seen a Firefly," he added conversationally. "And now here's two in as many months."

Kaylee leaned over the catwalk, as much as the bulge at her waist would let her. "Another Firefly?" she asked.

"Yeah. Newer model, though. I think it was an O4. Had a busted port stabiliser, and we had to fix her."

"You work in the docks?" Mal asked.

"For my sins." He grinned, his red hair flaming in the light from the cargo bay. "Kinda like to take a look around your engine room, if I can. You know, see what she's like."

Mal could tell Kaylee was getting excited, keen as she always was to wax lyrical about her home. "We'll see about that. Maybe next week."

Terry wasn't worried. "Shiny." He stood straighter. "Well, if we're going to eat first, we'd better go. Jason's meeting us at the diner, and so are the rest of the boys."

Matty's brow creased. "Just how many are coming?"

"Only a few. Their wives kinda put their foot down, so it's just the unencumbered who are joining us."

"Oh, good," Matty said weakly. "Well, I'll do introductions as we go, so … I suppose we'd better be getting on our way."

"Honey, are you sure you don't want to go with the rest of the girls?" Hank asked, looking up at his wife on the top catwalk.

"Someone has to stay behind, babysit. And I don't think an early night will do me any harm." Zoe smiled.

"Well, if you're sure …"

"I'm sure. You just enjoy yourselves."

"Okay." He grinned, glad she hadn't reminded him that he wasn't to gamble, even though he knew it was implicit in her tone.

"So, are you going to be good?" Mal asked Freya, pulling her to him to touch her down his length.

"We're picking up Jolene and heading straight for the house. I doubt we're going to be doing any carousing. Not like some."

"I think carousing's out of the schedule. Might be on for some quaffing, and maybe some revelling, but I don't think anyone's got enough energy for carousing."

She laughed, and he could feel the vibration running through her. "I'll have you know Jayne can carouse with the best of them. Just … stay safe."

She might have been smiling, but he knew she meant it. "Always, _xin gan_." One final kiss and he let go, heading out into the cool evening with the others.

Zoe watched them go, shaking her head. "I don't have a good feeling about this," she murmured.

"They'll be fine," Kaylee replied, leaning into her friend a little. "They're just going to have fun."

"Really." Zoe raised an eyebrow and Kaylee chuckled.

"Oh, I know they could find trouble in the dark with their hands tied behind their back, but this ain't a place like that. Besides, kinda reminds me of home." She laid her palms on her belly, stroking gently.

"Mal promised he'd get you back to Phoros in time for the birth," Freya said, climbing the stairs towards them.

Kaylee grinned. "And I'm looking forward to it. As much as I don't mind being pregnant – least, most of the time – I can't wait to hold this little baby."

"Have you thought about names yet?"

"Been talking about it, but we can't make up our minds. Might not, 'til he's born."

"You're sure it's a boy?" Zoe asked.

"I know it."

"Might be twins," River said, jumping up the steps and pushing past Freya. "I see twins in the future. And it's time to get going." She ran into her shuttle and began throwing things around.

"Twins?" Freya looked at Zoe, then at Kaylee.

"Hey, ain't mine," the young mechanic said, cradling her stomach protectively. "Simon's sure about that. Just the one in here."

Zoe pursed her lips, somewhat thoughtfully. "You know, you were a twin," she said to Freya. "And Mal's always said there were twins in his family."

Freya swallowed. "Yes, but … aren't there twins in yours? Hank's?"

"Nope. Not a one."

"Oh." She shook herself. "Anyway, this is something of a moot point. There's no guarantee we'll be having more. Jesse was something of a miracle. I might not be able to conceive again."

"But you've been trying so hard," Kaylee said, her brightness dimmed.

"Very hard," River agreed, sticking her head out of the shuttle doorway. "Sometimes I can't sleep because you're trying so hard …" A faint look of disgust flashed across her face before she disappeared again.

The other women looked at each other then burst into laughter.

* * *

There were half a dozen men waiting for them in the diner, and between them they more than half-filled the place. Over voices asking questions, and much raucous laughter as Matty was made less than gentle fun of, the waitress took various orders and managed to get them more or less right.

Then, filled with pretty decent food, the group got onto the most important part of the evening – the drinking.

Jayne looked at the name emblazoned across the windows of the saloon. "O'Malley's." He glanced at Mal. "Every gorram town on every gorram planet has a place called O'Malley's. You think it's the same family?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

Gilford laughed. "There's been no-one by that name working here as long as I can remember, and I think I was about eight first time I stepped through those doors."

"An early drinker?" Mal asked, looking at the older man in surprise.

"Nope. A dad who liked a bit too much. More'n a bit, truth be told. And that would've been the first time I was sent to bring him home." There was a touch of bitterness in Gilford's voice. "Long time ago, though."

There was something of an embarrassed silence, then Jayne coughed. "Yeah, well, families can be …" He stopped. "Anyway, it's the doc's turn to buy."

Simon stared at him. "Who decided that?"

"I did. 'Cause you're –"

"Jayne, before you complete that sentence I'd like to point out that I operate on you. With a depressing regularity. I may have promised to never harm you while you were on my table, but that doesn't mean I might not accidentally reroute something. Something very important. Something River might not like."

The big man thought for a moment, then what Simon meant penetrated. "You wouldn't."

"It _would_ be an accident."

"But that'd ruin a man's day."

"Exactly."

"She'd kill you."

"She's my sister. I think I could talk her round."

Mal couldn't help his lips twitching, particularly as he noted the rest of the men with their hands somewhat protectively cupping their more sensitive parts. "Jayne, we're all putting into a pool, least for the first coupla rounds. Simon, no emasculating anyone. Not without my say-so first. And no aggravatin' each other, either of you, _dong mah_?"

The two men stared at each other a moment longer, then nodded their agreement.

"'Kay, Mal."

"Of course."

"Good." Mal wondered why he always felt like he was in charge of a bunch of six year olds when they were all out together, but decided that way madness lay, and instead clapped his hands together. "Then I'm feeling in the need for a drink."

"Good idea," Gilford said, leading the way into the smoky, smelly bar.

* * *

Finally they'd left her alone. All day she'd been itching to get back to the box, to her treasure chest, but they wouldn't let her. Instead Ethan seemed intent on making up whatever they'd been fighting about, while Ben, Hope and Jesse just wanted to play, and it felt too rude to not give in. Besides, they might get suspicious.

It wasn't until after an early dinner – luckily something Momma had left behind that Auntie Zoe only had to stick in the oven to warm through – that she was able to go to her room, close the door, and pull the box out from under the bed. Unwrapping it, she gazed at the metal straps, at the grain of the wood, and let her mind wander over what might be inside.

Bethie sighed. Better to look. Then she couldn't be disappointed. Lifting the lid, she stared at the contents. Maybe it was treasure after all.

Lying on top of what appeared to be a string of bright red glass beads were two pebbles, one shot through with a vein of quartz, the other as black as space, and shining just as brightly. Lifting them out, she carefully untangled the beads, finding it was a double string with a large blood-coloured stone hanging at the centre. Attached was a small brown label, with faded words written in a rounded script.

_To Meg. Happy Birthday. From Jayne._

Something about it, from the simple sentiment to the careful lettering, made Bethie know that Jayne hadn't noticed it when he handed the box over, otherwise he'd surely have removed it lest anyone believed he was capable of having feelings. It made her chest tighten up and for a moment she considered tearing it into little pieces, then changed her mind. Putting it to one side, intact, she turned back to the remaining contents.

A seashell, perhaps from a long ago visit to the shore, although there was no ocean within several thousand miles. The remains of a flower, crumbling into dust even as she tried to pick it up, making the scent of a far distant summer tantalise her for a moment. A bracelet made from coloured threads, all twisted together, and only just big enough even for her. And that was it.

Only … She peered closer, then reached into the very corner, where something was glittering. Whatever it was seemed to be well and truly stuck, but as she pulled on it gently there was a slight grating sound and it came free to lie in the palm of her hand and wink at her.

"Oh," she whispered, staring at the coin.

"What's that?" Ethan said from the open doorway.

She turned blazing eyes on him. "That was closed!"

"So?"

"So I don't barge into your room when you're busy!"

"Yes, you do."

"Well, maybe I do but … I'm a girl!"

He put his head on one side. "I don't think that makes it right."

She was about to agree with him, then realised that meant she'd be saying she'd been wrong to go into his room unannounced, and instead she contented herself with just growling at him. Unfortunately it didn't discourage him.

"That looks like gold," he said, moving forward and pointing at her tightly clenched fist.

"Huh. Like it would be."

"Maybe a doubloon. Or a piece of eight."

For just a moment she was impressed by his knowledge, then caught herself. "It's mine."

"Didn't say it wasn't. But can I see?"

"No."

"Did it come out of that box?"

She glanced down, seeing the pile of treasures on the bed, the open chest … "Maybe," she grudgingly admitted.

"Please, Bethie. Can I see? I won't tell anyone."

She glared at him, seeing nothing but honesty in his blue eyes. "Okay."

It might have been said with ill-grace, but he didn't mind. In a moment he was next to her on the bed, staring at the coin. "Are you sure it's not gold?" he asked, touching it lightly.

Bethie shrugged. "Don't think so. It was in Uncle Jayne's box he gave me, and if it _had_ been gold I think he'd have spent it, don't you?"

"True." A smile crept across his face. "But we can pretend. Play pirates."

"I don't know …"

"Go on. You can be Blackbeard."

She wavered. As much as she still wanted to be mad at him, for no other good reason than it made a change, she loved playing pirates. And to be allowed to be Blackbeard … "Okay."

He squirmed a little in excitement. "Shiny."

"Well, that will have to be tomorrow." They both looked up to see Zoe leaning in the doorway. "It's bed time."

Bethie slid the coin as surreptitiously as possible under her pillow. "Okay, Auntie Zoe." She smiled widely, showing all her teeth.

Zoe's eyes narrowed, since it was usually impossible to get the children to agree to go to bed at all, let alone slightly early. "Are you feeling all right?" she asked.

"Yes," Bethie and Ethan chorused.

"That's … good." She obviously still wasn't sure, but decided that if they were in agreement it was at least better than nothing. "Ethan, you'd better go help Jesse get ready."

"Okay, Auntie Zoe." He scrambled from the bed, glanced meaningfully at Bethie, then ran out of the crew quarters.

"Do you want me to see to Hope?" Bethie asked, eager to seem helpful.

"No, that's okay. She's already tucked up."

"Okay." She waited a breath. "G'night."

"Hmmn." Zoe gazed at her a moment, then said, "Goodnight," before closing the door.

Within five minutes Bethie was in her little nightdress, under the covers, and gazing at her pirate ship on the bedside cabinet. Sliding her hand under her pillow, she touched the coin, feeling her eyes beginning to close as sleep overtook her, and her last waking thoughts were of a huge vessel, all metal sides and silent engines, sweeping majestically through the black, her hold full of precious metals and other treasures …

* * *

It didn't take long for the stag party to break into smaller groups, mostly differentiated by those who were planet or ship, although Jayne and Matty stuck together, moving between them with ease.

Gilford had introduced them to the owner, a man called Gideon who looked like Badger's cousin, and they were promised a night to remember.

"And if you want a last fling, my girls are clean." He indicated the half dozen women lounging at the end of the long room in various states of undress. "Ain't cheap, a'course, but you pay for quality."

"Um, thanks," Matty said, his eyes skittering away from the flesh on display. "But I don't think Jo'd like it."

"She wouldn't have to know."

"Oh, she would. I'd have to tell her."

"Matty, that ain't the way to start married life," Terry said, putting his arm around his friend. "You need to keep secrets. Gives it that extra edge."

"This from a man who can't keep a woman for more'n a month?"

Terry shrugged. "What'd I want one for longer for? By that time I've done everything I want to, and … things get kinda stale."

Jayne shook his head. "You're talking out of your backside. You're missing out on the best part."

"What, tied up to the same woman for all my born days? I don't think so."

"You know, for once, I have to agree with Jayne," Simon put in. "Knowing that she's going to be there when you wake up, that it's her warm body you're going to get to sleep next to for the rest of your life, let alone all the fun stuff in between …" He smiled, his pale face giving his thoughts away. "I wouldn't exchange it for all the gold back on Earth-that-was."

Jayne slapped him on the back, nearly over-balancing him. "Yep, ain't that the truth."

Terry wasn't persuaded, though, and kept gazing towards the whores, surreptitiously counting the money in his pocket.

Gilford glanced at a Tall Card game going on the corner, and looked at the rest of Serenity's crew. "I feel like a hand or two. Do you want to join me?"

Mal held his breath, but Hank shook his head.

"Nope. I don't."

"If you don't know the rules –"

"Oh, I know them. But I don't play no more. I promised Zoe."

"One hand won't hurt."

"Yes, it will." He took a deep breath. "I'm … I've got an addiction to it," he admitted. "I can't even pick up a pack, else I might just cave in. And Zoe'd never forgive me."

Mal smiled. "No, that she wouldn't."

Gilford nodded in understanding. "Then we won't."

"No, look, you don't have to," Hank said quickly. "I can watch, I suppose." He glanced at Mal. "That ain't gambling, is it?"

"Not really. But it's pretty close."

"Then I'd better not." Hank took a deep breath, trying to clear the urge from his hindbrain.

"Then how about a game of Eight Ball?" Gilford suggested. "Don't have to gamble at all in that. And I might just let you win."

Mal narrowed his eyes slightly. "I'll have you know I'm considered the scourge of half a dozen systems with a pool cue."

"Yeah, and that's without even touching a ball," Hank quipped, relaxing slightly.

"Which would you prefer?" Mal said in a light but surprisingly serious tone. "Airlock or septic vat?"

"How about a drink?" the pilot asked, pushing through towards the bar.

"Fine. You can bring it to the table."

Gilford ran a hand across his bald head. "Is he always like that?"

"Sorry to say, yes he is."

"Still, it must make all those long journeys go by quicker."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?"

As luck would have it the pool table was empty, and it took only the work of a few moments to rack the balls and choose a cue each.

"You're the visitor, so you can break," Gilford said magnanimously.

Mal raised one eyebrow. "Why do I feel like I'm gonna end up without even the shirt on my back?"

Jason Gilford laughed. ""I've got more' n a few years on you, Mal. It'll take me all my time to straighten up, let alone fleece an upstanding transport captain like yourself."

Mal didn't even deign to answer, just leaned over the table and struck the white ball with the end of the cue, and within just a few minutes knew what he'd feared was true.

Hank, coming back with a tray of beer, was smiling from ear to ear, and even Jayne and Matty were enjoying his humiliation.

"Good job you ain't playing for cash," the big ex-mercenary said. "Jason'd be the owner of a slightly used Firefly by midnight at this rate."

Gilford, warmed at Jayne using his given name, pointed towards the bottom right hand pocket. "Eight ball," he said, and, with an ease that spoke of long familiarity with the game, knocked it in. He stood up, with barely a creak from old muscles. "Another?" he asked.

Mal fixed him with a stern eye. "There something in your past you should be telling me?" he asked, leaning on his pretty much useless cue.

"Now, that'd be giving away all my secrets." Gilford laughed. "Maybe I had something of a misspent youth. Once upon a time."

"That I can believe." He smiled ruefully and rubbed the back of his neck. "You mind slowing down a bit so I can actually get to the table?"

"I'll take it easy on you this time," Gilford promised, digging the balls out of the pockets.

Hank was about to make some possibly slanderous, and certainly ill-timed comment when he was interrupted by the doors opening and the room suddenly becoming a lot more crowded. Nearly a dozen men pushed their way inside and to the bar, mindless of who they barged into. There was some grumbling from the townsfolk, but one look made them all to decide to mind their own business.

"They're off that ship next to yours. The Clipper, name of Golden Dragon or some such," Gilford explained quietly into the sudden hush. "They arrived a few days ago, complaining that they needed their engine fixing. Terry's been working on it, says it ain't been touched in a month of Sundays." He leaned closer. "Had some of 'em in the store today, and I swear they left with more than they brung, and not a penny paid over the counter."

"Now that ain't nice," Jayne Cobb, most honest man this side of the Rim, said.

"Hadn't you better warn your friend?" Mal suggested.

Gilford glanced at Gideon. "Nah. I think he's keeping an eye on 'em anyway."

Indeed, the bar's owner was loitering by the door to his office, watching the proceedings.

"Beer!" one of the men, a tall individual with short, jet black hair and a Chinese face, demanded, slamming a pouch down on the counter.

"For all of you?" the barkeep asked.

"All of my crew. Had a good day." He smiled, putting those that saw it in mind of a rattlesnake about to strike.

"Yes sir." He drew six pitchers, placing them on the bar.

The noise of the patrons increased again as it seemed the newcomers were only interested in drinking.

"He look familiar to you, Cap?" Jayne breathed, one hand still near the gun on his hip.

"Don't think so," Mal murmured. "But I'd need to get a better look at him to be sure."

"Just something about him …" Jayne shook his head, then dismissed the man from his mind. "Not that it matters overly. We're here to celebrate." He gripped Matty's shoulder and squeezed hard. "How about a game o'darts while Mal loses again?"

"Darts?" Matty shook his head. "Now you know my aim is just terrible. I'm just as likely to skewer someone as hit the board."

"Then you need the practice." Jayne dragged his brother towards the board, using his intimidating manner to make the current users finish their game as quickly as possible.

"He does that real well," Gilford said, shaking his head slightly.

"That's what I pay him for," Mal explained. "That and public relations."

Gilford stared at him, then laughed.

Matty was right, Jayne had to admit. He couldn't hit a barn door if it was closed, and he'd made a nice set of little holes in the wall before they heard the start of the ruckus.

"If she says no, she means no." It was Hank's voice, with that odd blend of bravado and fear that he managed to reach sometimes.

Jayne turned around, trying to see through the crowd. At that moment enough people moved out of the way. Hank was standing next to a Golden Dragon crew member who had a hand on one of the girls.

"She's a whore," the man sneered. "She don't get to say no."

"And you left without paying last time," the girl said, trying to pull her arm away.

The man obviously tightened his fingers, as she whimpered slightly.

"That's enough," Hank said, trying to step between them. "Why don't you just find someplace else to go?"

The man glared at him. "You telling me to leave?"

Hank swallowed visibly. "I am."

Jayne tensed, seeing Mal doing the same by changing his grip on the cue, ready to use it as a weapon. That meant he didn't want guns to be involved if he could manage it. Jayne sighed in frustration, but moved his hand away from Betsey. Still, he wasn't totally unarmed otherwise.

"Make me," the man said, closing the gap between him and Hank, and clenching a tight fist and lifting it to strike.

"Gorram it," Jayne muttered, and let loose with one of his darts, his keen eye sending it unerringly into the back of the man's hand.

He howled, letting go of the woman who scuttled away, and clutching his injured limb to him.

"Why ain't things ever _yi fan feng shun_?" Mal muttered as the man's crewmates all stood up. "You'd better stay out of this," he said out of the side of his mouth to Gilford.

"And let you have all the fun?" Gilford took a step back at Mal's look. "Although maybe I'll stay in reserve."

"You ever had a good fist fight?" Jayne asked Matty.

"Um, no. Not really."

"Well, that's one virginity you'd gonna lose today." He ducked as a chair sailed over his head, crashing into the wall and knocking the dartboard to the ground. With a war cry that sounded like the hellbeasts had been set loose, he charged.

It got fairly confusing after that.

At one point it seemed as if all the patrons were fighting, including Gideon, the owner, who was swinging a wooden bat like he was going for a home run. He got hit in the belly fairly early on, though, and retired hurt.

Simon elbowed the man who was trying to take a bite out of his ear, then stamped on another's hand, hearing the owner scream in pain. Hank kicked a man in the groin, then winced in sympathy. Matty took out someone about to leap onto Jayne's back with a bottle, then went down himself under two more men. Jayne, despite having someone land a lucky punch on his face, lifted one adversary into the air, then threw him at two others, noting that Matty's so-called friends were keeping out of it, and Terry himself was 'comforting' the girl who was the start of this. Mal laid about him with the cue, all the while making sure Gilford stayed on the sidelines. Despite the larger numbers of the enemy, Serenity's crew were holding their own, and might even have won if it wasn't for the interruption.

The door was flung open, and someone fired a shotgun. The blast caused fragments of plaster to filter down from the ceiling, dusting the combatants with a light covering as each of them looked towards the doorway.

"Okay, people!" the gunman shouted over the sudden silence. "You're all bound by law and required to stand down!"


	6. Chapter 6

"You're all bound by law and required to stand down!" The man in the doorway, shotgun held in both hands, smiled faintly.

"You stay out of this," one of the Golden Dragon crew snarled.

Another shell was ratcheted noisily into the chamber. "That ain't gonna happen." He nodded and four men brandishing rifles ran through from the back, taking up positions around the room, covering everyone with their weapons.

Mal stood straight, very slowly so as not to invite a bullet. "It's just a brawl," he said, eyeing the badge on the man's vest. "A misunderstanding at most."

Gideon, however, apparently looked at things differently. "A brawl?" he complained loudly, clutching his belly. "Do you see what they did?"

"Are you pressing charges?" the sheriff asked.

"Try and stop me! Coming in here, breaking up my place, threatening the girls and attacking me … just look at the damage!" He pointed to a table reduced to matchwood, the result of someone who might have been Jayne dropping one of the opposition onto it from a great height.

"And can you point out the people mostly responsible?"

"All of 'em!"

The sheriff tried a reasonable tone of voice. "Gideon, I doubt they all started it right at the same moment."

The bar owner was having none of it. "I want them all locked up!"

"Now, see here, we were just -" Mal stopped as the shotgun swung his way, holding up his hands in a submissive manner.

"He's the man making the formal complaint, so I don't see any alternative. We have to take this some place more official." The sheriff glanced at his men. "Anyone on the floor, got blood on them or busted knuckles, we take them in, _dong mah_? And make sure we don't lose any stragglers on the way."

His deputies moved forward, ready to escort their prisoners.

"Wait a minute," Gideon called, his face going an unnatural shade of puce. "Why ain't you handcuffing everyone?"

"Mainly because I don't have enough, and since you aren't capable of pointing out the ringleaders, I think we'll let it pass this time."

"Not enough handcuffs? Why not?"

The sheriff turned a suddenly unfriendly eye on the bar owner. "Because the good folks on the Port Town Council, of which I seem to recall you being a member, turned down my request at the last budget meeting."

"Yes, but that was unreasonable."

"Whatever. Point is, I still ain't got enough, and I don't feel in the mood to send someone over to Gilford's to get some rope." He smiled. "Even if Jason wasn't one of those I was about to lock up."

"He wasn't involved," Mal put in quickly. "Stood back, the entire time."

One of the deputies looked at Gilford, checking him over. "He's right, Dan. Not a speck of blood on him."

"Then he can stay."

Gilford relaxed visibly. As much as he'd wanted to back up his stepsons and their friends, the thought of being locked up had his heart pounding unreasonably fast.

"Now look here -" Gideon began, then backed down at the sheriff's glare. "Fine. But you put in for that increased allocation next time round."

"Thanks." The word should have withered the bar owner on the spot. "Okay, folks. Time to get going." He pushed the door open with his foot. "Gorramit, I hate politics," he added quietly, stepping back out into the night.

Mal glanced at Gilford, who nodded that he'd let the relevant people know, then followed the sheriff outside.

As they walked along the street, there were a lot of different thoughts going through the minds of those under arrest. Hank and Simon's were almost identical, worrying what their respective wives were going to say. Matty was entertaining the possibility that Jolene might just call off the wedding, while Mal was noting that the head of the Golden Dragon crew didn't appear to be one of those who'd been bound. More and more he was coming to the conclusion that Jayne had been right, and that there was something familiar about the tall man with Chinese features.

The big ex-mercenary, on the other hand, was trying to remember where he might have seen the sheriff before. "Who the hell _are_ you?" he asked finally, trying to focus out of the one eye that was still open.

The man smiled slightly. "I'm the Sheriff. Dan Jefferson."

"No you ain't. He's older."

"Ah, you'll be thinking about my father. The Judge." They reached the jailhouse.

"What?"

Mal closed his eyes. Things weren't exactly looking up, what with their being arrested, and now Jayne seemed to be known to the local law.

"My father," Jefferson repeated. "He used to be the Sheriff, only when he retired I took over and he took up sitting on the bench on his backside, dispensing justice. Just keeps getting re-elected, too. Folks round here must like his brand. But I wouldn't worry," he added, jingling the keys in his hand and opening up. "You'll be able to make his re-acquaintance when you go up a'fore him in the morning."

"Won't that be shiny," Mal murmured, silencing Jayne with a look.

* * *

Inside the jail, Jefferson led the way to the cells in the back. "Now, as you can see, we only got the two rooms. So you might wanna decide which side you were on and make sure you don't get put in with the wrong group."

Mal immediately led the way into the right hand cell, his crew and Matty following him inside. With far less grace, the Golden Dragon crew filed into the opposite cell, the odd obscenity floating out behind them.

Jefferson closed the doors, locking them securely. "Well, you might as well make yourselves as comfortable as you can. I can probably rustle you up some breakfast before you go to court, but it won't be anything special. Not that you can complain, seeing as you're somewhat unwilling guests."

"We didn't start it!" Hank insisted, pointing through the bars. "It was them!"

The other crew, jammed together, growled, and he snatched his hand back quickly.

Jefferson shrugged. "Ain't my call. That'll be up to his Honour to decide."

"It was just a fight," Jayne stated. "Can't have a bachelor party without a fight."

"Oh, I think you can," Simon murmured, checking to see if his ear had stopped bleeding. "And I think I might need a tetanus shot."

"Not the only one," Mal added quietly, knowing the stitches in his shoulder had broken, and he could feel his shirt was sticking to his skin.

"Any of you likely not to survive the night?" Jefferson peered in through the bars. "Only we ain't got a doctor in the neighbourhood, and I'd have to call on –"

Mal shook his head. "I think we'll live. And my own medic happens to be locked up in here too."

"Lucky me," Simon muttered.

Jefferson tried not to smile. "Shiny. You know, it's a good job it wasn't tomorrow. My Pa never sees anyone on a Sunday, so you'd be here all weekend otherwise."

Matty paled. "Jolene'd skin me alive if I missed the big party."

"Zoe'd do the same," Hank agreed.

"Hell, _all_ of our wives'd hang our pelts up for all to see if that happened," Mal added. "That's one of the joys of being married."

"Now you tell me," Matty muttered.

Jefferson grinned. "Aw, Matty, you know it ain't that bad. If the worst comes to the worst, we can arrange your wedding to take place in jail." He chuckled at the look on the other man's face. "Ain't like I wanna miss it, do I? Seeing as my invite is sitting at home on the mantel."

"Dan, can't you just –"

"No. You know I can't. You broke up the place, and Gideon's gonna push this as far as he can." Jefferson straightened up. "Now, I can let you make one com call a piece, so who do you wanna know you're in this sorry predicament?"

The men exchanged glances, but no-one seemed anxious for their nearest and dearest to find out they'd been bound. Mal sighed.

* * *

"You know, this is nice," Jolene said, pouring another healthy amount of wine into each of their glasses. All except Kaylee's, of course. She was sticking to fruit juice on account of being just a little bit pregnant. "You could've brought the kids, though, then that Zoe of yours could have come."

Freya laughed. "You have no idea what you're suggesting. At the moment they're not exactly the best of friends, and I don't think an evening of listening to their mothers gossiping would make things any better."

"Are we? Gossiping?" Carmen, one of Jolene's oldest friends, pushed at her black curls from where they'd escaped onto her forehead and tutted. "Only I don't think there's been much in the way of anything juicy for a while."

River took a sip of her wine, and was amazed at its ability to make all the sharp edges in the room slightly fuzzy. "I could tell you about Simon's fetishes, but Kaylee wouldn't like it."

"He don't have fetishes!" the young mechanic in question maintained. "Least, nothing bad."

Her sister-in-law looked at her. "Chainwave," she said quietly, and Kaylee blushed.

"Now, now," Freya said. "Play nice. And that was your doing, Mrs Cobb."

River sighed happily, running her nails over the tattoo circling her ring finger. "Don't care. I am an old married woman. I'm allowed to try and embarrass the young people."

"No, you're not. And Kaylee's older than you."

"Not that much!" Kaylee put in.

"No, but in the old married women circle River's pretty much a stripling," Freya finished. "So unless you want me to tell everyone about what Mal caught you and Jayne doing on the bridge that time …"

River glared at Freya for a moment, then shrugged. "True." Then she glanced across towards the pile of coats. "Need to answer that."

Jolene looked puzzled. "Answer what?"

There was a buzzing from Freya's jacket. "Excuse me," she said, getting up to retrieve the comlink from her pocket, flicking the switch and asking, "What is it, Zoe?"

"_Uh, ain't Zoe."_

"Mal?"

"_Hi, ai ren."_

"Why are you calling? Is there a problem?"

"_No. No, there's no problem. Least, not what you'd really call a problem."_

"Mal, what are you talking about?" She focused, trying to see where … "Mal. You're not. Tell me you're not."

"_Well, I could, but I've the notion I'd be lying."_

"How?"

"_Well, this nice man decided we'd all be better off some place safe, and as he was so polite we accepted his –"_

"Mal."

"_Fight."_

"Oh, Mal."

"_Hey, weren't my fault! The other guys started it."_ There was mutterings in the background which suggested at least one of the 'other guys' was fairly close. _"Anyway, seems we're locked up until morning."_

She closed her eyes, trying to control herself, to stop herself saying anything she might regret. "And then?"

"_We go up before the judge. Only I'm hoping it's just gonna be a slapped wrist, since we were on the side of the righteous."_

"Mal, you of all people know that being on the right side doesn't mean you can't still lose."

"_I know."_

She could feel the eyes of the other women on her back, and she took a deep breath. "I'm coming, now."

"_You don't have –" _

"Now."

"_Um, shiny."_

The com clicked off just as there was a knock at the door which Jolene hurried to answer.

"Jolene?" It was Jason Gilford. "Jolene, I've got some bad news."

"They've been arrested," the bride-to-be said, her arms crossing tightly in front of her breasts.

"Uh, yeah. How did –"

Freya held up the comlink. "We just found out."

"Ah."

"Indeed."

"Are you … going to get them out?"

"From what Mal said, it doesn't look like we can. They're going up before the judge tomorrow."

"Warren Jefferson?" Jolene glanced at Deirdra.

"All right," she said, sighing. "I suppose I could have a word."

"A word?" Freya looked at her.

"He's my father-in-law. My husband's the sheriff."

Considering they had just been discussing the possibilities – yet again, to Jolene's ears – that Dan had been playing away from home, Freya wasn't all that hopeful. "I'm still going down to the jail, see what's going on. At the very least I'll be able to find out what they've been charged with, although I imagine it's affray and malicious damage."

"You sound like you're experienced in this kinda thing," Carmen put in.

Freya sighed again. "I wish I wasn't. I honestly wish I wasn't."

* * *

Matty had made himself as comfortable as he could on the end of the bench, Jayne on the floor at his side.

"Well, it's better'n some jails I've been in," the big man observed. "Been one or two where the rats were so big you had to fight 'em for the food."

"Oh, great."

Jayne hit him good-naturedly on the side of his thigh. "Come on. Jo ain't gonna call off the wedding just 'cause of a little dust-up."

"I don't know about that. She's very particular. Likes everything just so."

"She's a woman. They're all like that."

"Even River?"

"'Specially River. Sometimes it makes her hold on things not being crazy just that little bit more solid."

Matty considered this. "She don't seem that crazy."

"You ain't seen her bad days." He chuckled deep in his chest. "Although I think you might when she finds out where we are."

"She can't be that bad. I mean, she's just a slip of a thing."

"Yeah. Right." Jayne adjusted the front of his pants at the memory of her grabbing his man parts in that bar. He looked up to see Simon still fiddling with his ear. "Doc, you keep doing that, it's gonna come off. And we ain't got the equipment no more to fix it back."

The young man glared at him, but put his hand down.

There was silence for a moment, then Matty said, "Oh, Meg Wilkins asked me to remember her to you."

"Little Meg?" Jayne had to smile, remembering the girl he'd had something of a crush on back in the day, before things went ever so slightly to hell.

"Not so little anymore. She's got eight kids, another on the way. Says she's hoping her old man's gonna get lost in the crowd."

Jayne laughed again. "There's better ways."

"That's what I told her. Anyways, she asked, and I did."

"Thanks." Jayne put his head back against the wall, the day he'd put his hand on her knee drifting back to him. Then he stilled. Gorramit, those beads in the box. They'd been meant for a gift for her, and there'd been a tag attached. Oh, well. He made himself relax again. Bethie probably wouldn't understand what it meant, not at her age.

The door opened and Mal stepped through, followed closely by the spokesman for the Golden Dragon crew. Jefferson brought up the rear, but he stepped past them quickly to open the cells. "Gentlemen."

They filed inside, the locks clicking shut with a doom-like sound of finality. Mal slid down the floor to sit next to Jayne.

"How'd she take it?"

"Not … the best I've ever seen."

"She coming?"

"Mmn."

"Think she can do something to get us out?"

"Nope."

"Me neither." Jayne sighed.

Mal leaned closer, lowering his voice until it was little more than a susurration of breath. "Jayne, you heard of Chester Lau?"

Jayne didn't whip his head around, but that was only because his body was under the iron control of his will. "Heard of him, Mal," he murmured back.

"And his brothers?"

"Them too."

"Anything good?"

"Not a gorram thing."

"Me neither. Which is something of a pity, since half his crew's locked up opposite."

This time Jayne turned his head enough to see Mal out of his good eye. "That _hwoon dahn_ in the bar who got away was one of the Lau brothers?"

"I heard enough of their conversation to figure that much out."

"No wonder he looked familiar."

"You ever met any of 'em?"

Jayne shook his head slowly. "Nope."

"Me neither. So we just make like we've never heard of them, _dong mah_?"

"Gotcha." He glanced at the rest of the crew. "Think they might've?"

"Hank, maybe. I don't think Simon's travelled in low enough circles to have, but we can't afford to take chances. I'll speak to 'em."

"Good idea."

There was silence for a good five minutes, and most of the crew had begun to doze off. Until the door opened again and Jefferson grinned at them.

"You got a visitor," he said, stepping to one side.

Mal got to his feet. "Hi, _ai ren_."


	7. Chapter 7

"Hi, _ai ren_." Mal smiled, then winced inwardly at her look.

"Mal." Freya's gaze ran across the other prisoners, at Jayne's swollen and bruising eye, Simon's bleeding ear …

"Where's Riv?" Jayne asked.

"She said she didn't need to come." She raised an eyebrow at the big man. "Apparently because she's married to you that makes her family-in-waiting to Jolene, so she had to stay. Something about it being traditional. She also said she'd be having _words_ with you tomorrow."

The emphasis on that one particular word told him all he needed to know. "Oh. Right."

Several of the men in the other cell snickered, but they stopped as she glanced at them.

"And Jolene?" This was Matty, standing up behind Mal.

"Kaylee?" Simon added.

"We didn't all need to be trooping down here." She looked back at Mal, seeing his shirt darker over his shoulder, the fabric sticking to him. "And what happened? Exactly?"

"It was my fault," Hank put in before Jayne shushed him loudly.

"You never admit to anything, don't you know that?" He sounded almost disgusted at the pilot's ignorance. "It's always down to the other feller."

"I only meant in as much as I came to a lady's aid."

One of the other prisoners spoke, his voice nothing more than a smear. "Wasn't no lady. Just a whore." He cradled his injured hand, wrapped in a blue and white bandana that was stained red.

The look Freya threw him shut him up, making him squirm uncomfortably.

She turned back to her own crew. "So you were just being a gentleman?"

"Exactly that," Hank confirmed.

"And it meant all of you got locked up."

"Seems to be, _xin gan_." Mal leaned on the bars, his forehead resting on his arm. "It was just a misunderstanding."

"Didn't I tell you not to get into trouble?" she asked, a flash of what she was truly feeling colouring her face. "A quiet drink. That's all it was supposed to be."

"Frey –"

"Are you congenitally incapable of going out to a bar _without_ getting into a brawl?"

"It wasn't –"

"You say it wasn't your fault once more and you'll be sleeping on the couch for the foreseeable future."

Her tone had dropped, and he knew she meant every word. He took a deep breath, fully aware he was skating on thin ice. "We honestly didn't go out to start anything. And maybe we should have just walked away, but by the time we knew something was gonna go down, it was too late."

"One of you could have been killed."

"But we weren't. We're okay, mostly. Just a few cuts and bruises. Nobody's dying."

"That's not the point!"

Jefferson, lounging in the doorway, had to smile. It made a change to see another couple arguing – normally he was involved in a much more intimate way, with Deirdra throwing things at him.

"Boss." It was Vince, one of his deputies. He leaned forward and whispered.

If anything the grin on the sheriff's face got even wider. "Well, now," he said, stepping forwards out of the way. "Seems like there's another of your good ladies's also got words to say to you."

A tall, dark-skinned beauty passed by him with barely a glance, and whereas it would normally have irritated him being ignored like that, he was prepared to make an exception in this case, especially if there was likely to be more verbal fireworks.

"Hey, honey." Hank stood up, smiling warily at Zoe as she entered the cell block.

"Hank."

"I wasn't gambling."

"I know." She checked him over visually, finding him relatively unscathed and relaxing just a little. "You know what would happen if you did."

"Yeah." His grey eyes were sincere.

She looked at Mal. "Captain."

"Zoe. Everything okay back at the ship?"

"Shiny, sir. Once she'd finished throwing up, Kaylee told me what had happened."

"Is she all right?" Simon interjected, leaning hard into the bars.

"Feeling a little sorry for herself, truth be told. But otherwise she said she'd stay put, look after the children."

"I wish I could do something about that damn morning sickness." It clearly pained him that he couldn't relieve his wife's symptoms.

"Well, you can't right now, but perhaps you can patch up the other injuries." She glanced back at the deputy.

Vince stepped forward, holding out Simon's medical bag. "I checked it through. Nothing in there could be classed as a lethal weapon, apart from a couple of tiny knives."

"Scalpels," Simon clarified. "And I don't think I'm going to need them today."

"Good, 'cause they ain't coming." Jefferson glanced into the bag anyway, but handed it to Zoe. "You wanna do the honours?"

"Thanks."

Jefferson opened up the cell and Simon immediately went to work, Zoe assisting. As Mal was still actively bleeding, he made the man remove his shirt first and used tiny butterfly sutures to close the wound again. "I won't stitch it, not until we're back in the infirmary, but I think you'll live." He wiped a steriswab across the skin, cleaning away as much of the drying blood as possible.

"Thanks, Simon. Better get Zoe to look at your ear, too."

The young doctor smiled dryly. "Oh, I intend to."

It didn't take long to tend to the various injuries, although there was little Simon could do with most of the bruises, or Jayne's black eye.

"Ain't having no leeches on me," the big man warned, holding the chemical ice-pack to his cheek.

"Then I may have to release the fluid some other way, if the swelling doesn't go down, unless you're happy only seeing out of one eye."

"This'll do fine."

Simon shook his head slightly, then looked across at the other cell. "Do any of you need assistance?" he asked the Golden Dragon crew. "I can easily –"

"Don't need help from the likes of you," one of them scowled.

"I'm more than happy to treat –"

"I said no!"

"I don't think you're gonna get anywhere with them," Mal said quietly. "Don't go wasting our supplies on 'em."

"If they're hurt –"

"Then they're hurt. We wouldn't be in this sorry-ass state if it wasn't for them."

Simon glared at him, but didn't back down. Instead he rummaged in his bag, withdrawing a couple of weaves and a disposable hypo. He handed to Jefferson, sighing heavily. "Give these to the injured man."

"What is it?"

"Antibiotics. At least now, if he loses that hand to septicaemia or gangrene, I won't feel guilty."

"Thanks, doctor."

"Not a doc," Mal put in quickly. "Don't reckon he has the brains for it." He almost smiled at the look Simon flashed him. "Just a man with some natural talent."

"Well, I'm grateful anyway." Jefferson turned to the other cell and held out the meagre supplies. "Even if they ain't. You'd be amazed the amount of paperwork needs filling in when someone dies in the cells."

"I said we don't need –" The self-appointed spokesman got no further.

"Oh, shut it, Walt." The injured man pushed past him, snatching the weaves and hypo before scurrying to the rear of the cell to tend to his wounds.

"A thank you would be nice," Jefferson pointed out. "But not likely." He turned to Zoe and Freya. "Sorry, ladies, but I've gotta ask you to leave. As much as I've enjoyed your visit – and believe me, I have – I can't let you stay."

"No, I understand." Zoe took the medical bag back from Simon, the cell door closing again.

"When do they go up before the Judge?" Freya asked, watching Mal gingerly slide his suspenders back over his shoulders, wincing slightly. She felt an irrational tug of anger that he'd got hurt. Again.

"Be about ten. My Dad always did like a big breakfast 'fore the hanging starts." Jefferson grinned.

* * *

She loved this time of the day. The sun wasn't yet over the mountains, and there was a crispness in the air that would disappear in only a few minutes, but this was hers. Closing the door behind her after checking that Freya was still wrapped in the comforter on the sofa, dreaming of Mal, River stepped off the porch into the dawn.

They'd talked long into the night, waiting for Freya to come back and let them know what had happened. She could have said, of course, but she didn't want to scare them. They didn't know she was psychic, and she was sure they weren't likely to handle it well. Instead, she let them continue.

"What am I gonna tell the kids?" Jolene had said, wringing her hands a little, pictures of her children as babes in arms rather than the teenagers they were flashing through her mind.

"Neither Katie nor Zach are gonna mind," Deirdra said, trying to calm her friend down. "'Sides, they ain't here. And I for one am glad they're having their sleepovers, 'cause you're not in any fit state to tell 'em anything at the moment."

Jolene looked outraged. "I am too!"

"No, you're not. I told you. I'll speak to Warren in the morning. He won't mind if I interrupt his breakfast." She patted her hair. "He likes me. Although if he knew what his son was doing behind my back –"

"Oh, Deirdra, shut up about that!" Jolene had snapped. "You know damn well Dan's not doing anything. He wouldn't dare!"

"Are you saying I –"

"If the cap fits."

For a moment it looked as if there was going to be a fight, and River sat forward expectantly, but it seemed both women realised they were being at best insensitive, and at worst downright bitchy. Instead of hauling off and hitting her best friend, Jolene instead poured more wine, taking a huge mouthful and swallowing hard.

"Gorram men," she muttered, and the others agreed with her.

When Freya finally arrived back it was to find Jolene, Deirdra and Carmen laughing at some silly story the latter had told, and definitely the worse the wear for drink. Eventually River put the three friends to bed, split between the two rooms upstairs, and she joined Freya back by the fire to try and make themselves as comfortable as possible.

The two psychics didn't speak, but Freya reassured River of Jayne and Simon's relative well-being, and River admitted she knew already. They shared a smile and settled to sleep.

And now, as she walked down the street towards the edge of town, her feet making no sound in the light dust, she sighed happily. She'd already got the rest of the ingredients together, some from their own stores and a couple of others from Jason Gilford's, but there were three specific plants she needed to find, and according to the wave from Ellie Frye these were best gathered while still fresh from the night air, and if dew dampened, the better. Ellie was sure they'd be available on Ezra, but since most people considered they were weeds, it was unlikely to be anywhere civilised.

Not that she minded. In fact, she liked it very much. Some people were already awake, but as she reached the desert she felt their consciousness drift away, and blessed silence filled her. Now she could open up, let in all the other little lives, the insects and creatures stirring or ready to sleep.

Just in front, a small animal with huge ears stopped to look at her, twitched its nose, then hopped away. Above, something called mournfully as it headed back to its nest. And beyond, in the desert itself, were a thousand million voices doing nothing but being, existing as well they could, with no thought of anger, ambition or avarice.

Even the plants, that tiny flicker of life in the great 'verse, seemed to soothe her, their auras blended together into one mass of flowing green and yellow.

It didn't take her long. Ellie's descriptions had been accurate, and her own Cortex research had supplied pictures of the ones she needed, and within an hour of sunrise she had gathered what she required, taking only enough and leaving the plant to thrive.

As she stood straight, the soft leather bag clasped lightly in her hand (Ellie had been insistent – natural fibres only) she closed her eyes, letting the sun's warmth take the chill from her bones. It was so peaceful, so at rest, so …

Her eyes flew open, and she turned towards the upthrust of rocks on the horizon that Jayne had called _Huo Yan Shan_ – the Mountain of Flames. Something was there, a red noise like a buzz saw on her brain, something familiar about the taste but sour, like some of Simon's medicine. Her walls snapped back up, and she shivered. Too many, too much, all talking at the same time, pulling her in every direction … left … right … up, down, inoutcharmstrange …

She took a deep breath, her slim frame shuddering with the effort to regain control.

_River?_

It was Freya, awake and in her mind, giving her all the strength she needed.

_I'm all right_, she thought back. _Something … _

_Do you need me to come get you?_

_No._ She tried a mental smile_. I think something died close by, and it … I felt its death._

_Come home, River._

_On my way._

With only a glance towards the rocks she ran back to the town, the makings of Ellie Frye's almost-patented anti-emetic in her hand.

* * *

Dan Jefferson had indeed managed to rustle up some breakfast, but only Jayne ate with any real gusto. The others picked over the food, eating somewhat desultorily.

Matty finally put his metal plate on the floor. "I can't," he said. "Not with … I just ain't hungry."

"Can't waste good food." Jayne tipped the remains onto his own plate and polishing them off in short order.

"How can you do that?" Hank asked. "You should be enormous, the amount you eat."

Jayne glared at him but decided jail probably wasn't a good place to start a fight. Especially considering why they were inside in the first place. "Been times there ain't been any food around at all," he explained, almost patiently. "One planet I was on, had to catch the vermin just so's I didn't starve. So when it's there, I eat it."

"He has a high metabolism," Simon added, handing over his own half-finished breakfast, partly due to the mental image of Jayne eating something small and brown that squeaked.

"Gotta keep myself in the peak of condition." Jayne stuffed a slice of bread whole into his mouth, then said, somewhat indistinctly as he chewed at the same time, "Takes a lot to keep up with your sister."

"Oh, please."

Mal ate slowly, but he too finished his meal. He'd had days like Jayne mentioned, all too many of them back in the Valley, and food was food. At least this was fresh, and not overrun with maggots. His eyes wandered to the cell opposite, where the crew of the Golden Dragon didn't seem to be eating at all, but were looking increasingly nervous. Maybe they were afraid of what their boss would do to them, if they managed to escape any more time in jail. Chester Lau had a reputation, and it wasn't good. The only reason he kept men was because he paid them well, but if they crossed him in any way …

And it wasn't rumour, either. Mal had met a man in a bar once, bought him a drink just to be neighbourly, and talked while waiting for his contact to arrive. When the man finally left, he leaned heavily on his cane as he walked out of the door due to the fact that Chester Lau had personally shot off all his toes for having unwittingly screwed up a deal.

Maybe it wasn't surprising that the other men were starting to worry.

Jefferson appeared in the doorway. "Well, gentlemen. It's time."

* * *

The court house, built by the settlers when they thought Ezra was going to be more than just a blip in the cosmic scheme of things, was only a few steps from the jail, but everyone took the opportunity to breathe in the fresh air.

Waiting by the entrance already, though, were all the female members of Serenity's crew, and Jolene.

"Honey," Matty said warily.

"Let's just wait on that a while," she said somewhat stiffly, going into the cool interior, her head pounding, although she kept telling herself that was from the strong sunlight and not the alcohol.

"_Bao-bei_, are you okay?" Simon asked Kaylee, standing in the shade, her hands clasped protectively across her swollen belly.

"Shiny," she said, smiling a little. "You? Zoe said you'd got hurt."

He lifted his hand to touch the weaves on his ear. "I might have a few teeth-shaped scars for a while."

"Hope you knee'd him right back."

"I … don't recall." With the Golden Dragon crew behind them, he felt it was better to be circumspect. "But Zoe said you threw up again."

Kaylee nodded. "And this morning." She sighed. "Ain't it ever gonna stop?"

River smiled enigmatically, then caught Freya's eye.

_Is that what you were doing in the kitchen?_

The young psychic shrugged faintly. _Needs to ferment. I've tried to make it taste of strawberries._

Freya's lips twitched, but she didn't comment.

"What's goin' on?" Jayne asked, having caught the look if not the thoughts.

River turned her dark eyes on him. "You promised. No fighting if I wasn't there."

"I know I did, moonbrain. But it weren't exactly my choice."

"Did you equate yourself well?"

He looked down at his skinned knuckles. "Think maybe I did."

"Good boy."

He grinned.

Serenity's captain gazed at his wife. "Frey."

"Mal."

"Where are the kids?"

"Safe and sound. Bethie's taking them through some homework."

"You forgiven me yet?"

"Not sure."

"We waiting on that too?"

"Probably."

"Come on, now," Jefferson said, his hand on his gun. "The Judge is waiting."

As they filed inside, the deputies following and taking up positions by all the exits, Jayne took a good look around. Jason Gilford was already sitting at the front, waiting, Jolene ramrod straight next to him, staring forwards, two other women at her side. Their eyes were on the men entering.

Matty's erstwhile pal Terry was lounging at the back, his bright red hair shining in the morning sunlight. Next to him was the girl from the saloon, the one Hank had tried to defend. She appeared more than a little uncomfortable, but he had his arm around her, and he looked smug. No need to wonder what he'd been doing all the time they'd been sitting on their backsides in the jail. He gave a half-salute.

Also in the front row, on the other side of the main aisle, were three men, all with jet black hair, looking like three versions of the same man, except they ranged from stocky to thin. It didn't take a genius to work out these were the Lau brothers.

Jefferson indicated they should line up in front of the low railing, and they split like at a wedding - bride's side and groom's. The Golden Dragon boys kept their heads down and didn't look at their employer, while Serenity's women joined Gilford and Jolene.

They didn't have long to wait. The door behind the low dais opened, and a man in his seventies walked through, rubbing his hands.

"Well, let's get on with things," he said, sitting down and pulling a pair of half-moon spectacles from his pocket that he proceeded to clean on his vest before settling them on his nose. "Dan? These the miscreants broke up Gideon's place?"

Jayne stirred, but a glance from Mal had him subside a little.

"These are them, Judge." Jefferson grinned at his father. "Least, all of 'em that didn't run away." For some reason he glanced at the middlemost of the Lau clan.

"And is Gideon here?"

"Yes, your honour." The man in question stood up at the back of the court where nobody had noticed him. "They damaged tables, chairs, smashed my pool table into matchwood, let alone the grievous harm they did to my body -"

"Yes, yes. But we'll be getting to that. First of all, which one of you is Jayne Cobb?" He peered over his spectacles then blinked hard. "Although is that a fool question?"

"I think it is, Pa," his son agreed.

Judge Warren Jefferson stared hard at the big man standing in front of him, towering somewhat over the other accused. "Jayne Cobb. You look like your father. And Matty here." The glare switched to the younger brother for a moment, then returned. "Can't say I'm surprised you finally ended up in front of me, though. Considering."

Mal closed his eyes. Things were not going well.


	8. Chapter 8

"Been a while." Jayne stood tall, his hands loose by his sides.

"That it has." Judge Warren Jefferson peered over the top of his half-moon spectacles at the big man. "Seems like half a lifetime."

"More."

"I was sorry to hear of your mother's passing. She was a damn fine woman."

"Yeah."

"Jason tells me you're married. And that you're a father yourself."

He couldn't help his chest swelling a little. "Got me a son. Caleb Francis."

Jefferson nodded slowly. "Good name. So has all this responsibility changed you?"

Jayne thought for a moment before answering. "Reckon it has. Don't think a leopard can change its spots, but maybe they're a bit fainter than they used to be."

Jefferson smiled faintly, and there was something of an uncomfortable silence as each man remembered the last time they'd seen each other, when the Judge had been just Sheriff Jefferson, and had to tell a fifteen year old boy that they knew he'd killed the man who shot his father. "Guess maybe they are," he finally said.

Mal looked from the Judge to Jayne and back again, this time in surprise. Contrary to what he expected, there was almost amicability in Jefferson's tone, and more than a hint of respect in the ex-mercenary's.

The Judge cleared his throat and looked at his own son. "So, Dan. You got the list of damages Gideon provided you with?"

"Right here." He passed over a sheet of paper covered with close handwriting.

His father read carefully. "Hmmn." He looked up at Gideon. "I see you've put everything including the kitchen sink in here."

"They damaged a lotta stuff."

"Seems to me, if they'd been fighting from now 'til Christmas I doubt they could've done all of this." He peered at the Sheriff. "Security feed?"

"Still broke." Dan Jefferson couldn't help smiling slightly. "Despite previous warnings."

The Judge tutted. "Gideon, you get that fixed before the end of the day or you're the one's gonna be up in front of me on Monday."

The bar owner looked about to complain, but obviously decided better of it. "Yes, Judge," he said, quite meekly.

"Shiny." Jefferson placed the list carefully on the desk in front of him. "Then it just remains to find out who started this ruckus." He looked at the men lined up with Jayne. "Which one of you is in charge?"

Mal took a pace forward. "That'd be me, sir. I'm Captain Malcolm Reynolds. These here are some of my crew. 'Cept Matty Cobb, of course."

"So you're taking responsibility for them?"

"Well, sir, as much as I'd like to deny all knowledge, I have to admit I was there, so … yes, I am. Although we didn't start it."

"Son, you'd be amazed at the number of folk go through here who didn't start a gorram thing." He turned to the other defendants. "And you? Who's spokesman?"

They looked furtively at each other, but no-one spoke.

Finally one of the three men sitting behind them stood up. He was the oldest, and the largest, although the impression was that as least some of the extra poundage he carried was muscle, not fat. He coughed to gain attention. "Since none of them are willing, I suppose it had better be me."

"And you are? For the records."

"Chester Lau. Owner of the Golden Dragon." He ducked his head in a semi-bow, but it didn't come across as particularly polite.

Mal could see the Judge's eyes narrow, even behind the half-moon spectacles.

"Mr Lau," he said, drawing the second word out. "I seem to know your name."

"I'm a businessman. That's not surprising." Now he smiled, but like the bow there was nothing nice about it.

"I'm sure that's the case." Judge Jefferson studied Lau for a few moments, noting the jet-black hair, receding slightly from a high forehead, the fleshy jowls, and the bulge in his jacket that suggested some large calibre weapon. "And you're standing bond for your men?"

"For the moment."

"Fine." The Judge sat up straighter, and everyone got the impression of a man getting down to work. "Dan, have they all been ID-scanned?"

"No, sir," the Sheriff admitted. "It was late last night when we brought 'em in, and since as far as I could see it was just a bar brawl, I didn't feel it necessary."

"Quite right too." The Judge's lips twitched. "I'd hate to know just what some of you had been up to." His gaze rested on Jayne for a moment, then moved back to Mal. "You seem to know what you're talking about. How about you tell me what happened?"

"I conjure I can." Mal hitched his thumbs into his suspenders, feeling the lack of his gun on his hip but resisting the urge to stand to attention. "We were out enjoying ourselves at Matty's stag party. We'd eaten, then Jason suggested we head to this place. Gideon's, as I now know. We were just settling in for some good honest drinking time, when one of the Golden Dragon crew decided to upset one of the working girls. Hank, my pilot, tried to stop him, and … well, that's about it."

"So who threw the first punch?"

"He did!" one of the other crew shouted, gesturing at Jayne with the hand still wrapped in the bandana. "I'm probably gonna get blood poisoning!"

"Technic'ly it was a dart," Jayne pointed out. "And it was one of you guys tried to brain me with a chair, which I took some exception to." He nodded at the man who'd spoken. "'Sides, it was you trying to get away with some trim without paying."

"Is that right?" the Judge asked the man, who to his credit stood his ground.

"No. She was just a whore. Took money out of my wallet last time, and I didn't even get satisfaction."

"That ain't true, Judge," Terry said from the back of the courtroom. He stood up, walking towards the front and dragging the reluctant girl with him. "Maisie here'll tell you all about it."

Judge Jefferson looked at the young woman, not even out of her teens, and smiled at her. "Maisie, is this true? Did you steal from this man?"

Maisie, her dirty blonde hair caught up haphazardly on top of her head, pouted. "I did not. He agreed an amount, then when he couldn't perform said it was my fault, and walked out without paying."

"And last night?"

"Said I owed him a free thrust since I'd put him off last time. I told him where he could get off, and what to do once he got there, but he wouldn't let go of me." She lifted the sleeve of her dress. "Bruised me up, too." They could all see the hand-print surrounding her upper arm. "Then this feller came along, tried to stop him." She smiled at Hank. "Thanks."

"Hey, no problem," the pilot said, grinning back. "Just your ordinary knight in shining armour, coming to a lady's aid."

There was a snort that could have been suppressed laughter from Zoe, but no-one thought it wise to find out.

"And that's when the fight started?" The Judge tried to keep things on track.

"That it did. But I can tell you it was these boys that started it," Maisie insisted, pointing to the Golden Dragon crew.

Judge Jefferson nodded. "Thank you, Maisie. You can go now. And tell your Ma I got some washing coming her way, so there's no need for you to go out to work for a few days, okay?"

Maisie smiled gratefully. "I surely will." She turned and almost ran out of the courtroom.

"You ain't gonna believe her, are you?" the injured man asked, cradling his hand again. "She's just a whore!"

"I've known Maisie all her life," Jefferson said, his voice low and brooking no objection. "Her Pa died when she was twelve, and she's been the only breadwinner for the whole big gorram family since her Ma got sick coupla years later. We help out where we can, but sometimes folk do what they have to, just to survive." He breathed deeply, then looked along the line of men again. "Seems to me there's a clear culprit in this matter, being the crew from the Golden Dragon. But the rest of you fought too, and that has to be taken into account." He tapped his fingers on the desk, then went on, "To this end, I'm fining the former to the tune of two thousand platinum."

"What?" Chester Lau was outraged, and his face took on an interesting purplish hue. "For a common bar brawl?"

"We don't take kindly to any kind of brawl, common or not. And I suggest you change your tone when addressing the Bench, else you're gonna find out it's more like four. And that man of yours is lucky I don't decide to charge him with intention to rape."

The injured man seemed to sink into himself, but Lau didn't take the hint.

"This is outrageous. You call yourself a Judge when it's perfectly clear that –"

"Fine," Jefferson interrupted. "The cost is now four thousand, plus an extra one for your contempt of this court. You wanna try for six?"

Lau bit back the retort on his tongue. "And if I refuse?"

"Well, that's up to you. They'll stay in jail, you'll be joining 'em, and you'll be charged bed and board for the whole kit and caboodle." He smiled. "And your ship's landlocked 'til you do."

"S'okay, Judge," Terry put in, grinning widely. "It ain't going nowhere anyway, since I got their grav boot spread out on my workbench this very second."

Jefferson nodded. "Well, Mr Lau?"

Lau's lips were a tight line, but he said, "Fine. Where do I pay?"

"On your way out, see the young lady at the desk. She'll be happy to take your money off you. And I'll be sending your regards to young Maisie, along with half the fine. That should keep her and hers going for a while, without having to resort to other means."

The 'other means' moved forward. "And what about me?" Gideon whined, reminding Mal even more of Badger. "Who's going to pay for the damage to my place? I insist on that money coming to me to reimburse –"

Jefferson sighed loudly. "Sit down and shut up," he advised, "'fore I find you in contempt too. You'll be getting five hundred, and that's it. The rest goes into town funds."

"But Warren –"

"That's Judge to you, while I'm in my official capacity," except he lengthened the 'o' in 'official', and the rest of his crewmates realised Jayne wasn't unique, and everyone from Ezra spoke the same way. He looked at Mal. "But don't think you're gonna be getting off scot-free. We like to make folks work off their debts, so you're gonna go with Gideon here to put his place back to normal, or as much as possible. And if one of you is good with a hammer and nail, all the better."

Mal, seeing his precious savings remaining intact, nodded gratefully. "Thank you, sir."

"And in case Gideon tries to take advantage, Dan's going be keeping an eye on you." His gaze sharpened. "I'm relying on you not to shirk this."

"We won't."

Jefferson removed his glasses, tucked them into his pocket and stood up. "You got half an hour to get back to your ship, do whatever you need to do, and be back at Gideon's by eleven. Dan'll make sure you don't take any detours." He picked up his papers. "Oh, and in case you're wondering, Port Control's got a landlock on you too. Least until after the wedding." He chuckled. "See you tomorrow, Matty," he added, and strolled out.

Chester Lau glared after him, then hit his two brothers each on the arm. "Come on. Let's get these _gou zha zhong_ back to the ship." He strode away towards the back of the courtroom, his men following meekly. Dan Jefferson followed him out to make sure the fine was paid properly, and in its entirety.

The last to leave was the brother who'd been in the bar, the one who'd managed somehow not to be detained. He glared at Mal and Jayne as he passed, and muttered something under his breath.

"You get that?" Mal murmured to Zoe.

"Nope. Not sure I'd want to, sir." She couldn't help her lips twitching. "I don't think I wanna be in that crew's shoes either."

"Nor me. I figure we're better off just doing the clearing up."

"Yeah."

"I heard what he said," Freya put in, standing up and stepping over the low railing. "And it wasn't complimentary."

"I imagine it was something along the lines of if he sees us again things ain't gonna go so well?"

"Something along those lines."

"Then I think we're gonna have to make sure we stay out of their way."

"Amen to that," Hank said fervently.

"So I don't have to bake a cake with a file in it?" Kaylee asked, hurrying to her husband's side to be hugged. "Only my Ma had a recipe that'd do real well."

Simon's eyes widened. "How many times did one of your family … no, forget I asked." He kissed her lightly.

"If you wanna bake, little Kaylee," Jayne said, "you go ahead. I could do with something to eat."

Hank couldn't believe the big man's words. "You ate nearly everyone's breakfast," he said, his jaw dropping.

"That? That was nothing."

"Has to keep up his strength," River said softly. "I am difficult to manage otherwise."

Her husband chuckled.

Simon, on the other hand, just sighed and changed the subject. "I think we got away with that pretty well."

"We were lucky, doc," Mal said quietly. "If'n they'd taken it into their heads to scan us, you'd be lounging in a cell right now waiting for the Alliance to come get you."

"I realise that."

"And no amount of baking would've got you out without likely bloodshed. Probably mine."

"And I would be very grateful, all the time I was operating."

The door opened and the Sheriff headed back into the courtroom.

"Come on." Mal slid his arm around Freya's waist and felt the tug of the wound in his shoulder. "I need to change 'fore we start all this hard labour."

"I'd like to restitch that, too," Simon said, noticing the wince on the older man's face. "If we have time?" He looked at the Sheriff.

"I think we can make it, just this once." Dan Jefferson grinned. "Seeing as I really enjoyed today's little proceedings."

* * *

By the time Serenity's crew were ready for bed, most of them had muscles that ached from doing things they weren't used to. Only Jayne had enjoyed himself, fixing the pool table and filling the bar with the smell of freshly-planed wood. Hank was, as usual, excused duty from any of the actual woodwork, but he used his talents instead to fix Gideon's security feed, boosting the Cortex signal while he did so.

Considering what they'd ended up doing – from replastering the wall where the dart board had been ripped from its foundations to putting in new panes of glass in a window shattered by a thrown chair – Mal secretly wondered just what the Judge would have considered 'taking advantage'.

About the only thing they didn't do was clean out the drains, and that was down to the fact that Dan Jefferson said no.

Freya, Zoe and River insisted on helping, while Kaylee was detailed to look after the children since she was still just a bit pregnant. They washed and polished, and River got them so much further into Gideon's good books by doing a portrait of him to hang above the stairs that he managed to find them all some food when they took a break, even supplying the occasional beer to quench their thirsts.

Still, they were glad when Dan called a halt, and they trooped back to the Firefly. Luckily Kaylee had prepared supper, and while they ate Bethie quizzed them all on being in jail, what it was like, whether it smelled, and Hank and Jayne were more than willing to embellish things for her. Ethan, on the other hand, just looked resigned, and Freya had to stop herself smiling. He seemed to know far too much about these things already. That and his expression reminded her so much of his father.

As soon as they'd finished, and the children were safely in bed, everyone announced they were turning in, and Matty thanked them all for what they'd done.

"That's okay," Mal said, as usual having difficulty accepting gratitude from anyone. "Seems to me if we hadn't all been along, it wouldn't have happened."

"Now, now," Hank said, being led towards his bunk by an equally tired Zoe. "We don't admit responsibility. I have it on good authority." The hatch closed with a finality above him.

"I think they have the right idea," Freya said, catching hold of Mal's hand and pulling him forwards.

"That they do." He grinned. "Last one out, turn off the light."

As he climbed down the ladder, Mal couldn't help the slight groan that erupted from his lips.

"That bad?" Freya asked, stepping around where he was hanging onto the rungs and starting to strip off her clothes.

Normally the sight of his wife naked would make him think thoughts that were lewd and possibly illegal on seven planets, but by that point all he could do was consider that all the revealed perkiness was too much for this time of night. "Probably. If I had the energy to think about it."

She pushed back the sheet and climbed into bed. "You've got to get your strength back, you know," she added, taking the brush from the shelf above and running it through her hair. "We've got the party tomorrow."

Mal rolled his eyes. "God, I'd forgotten." He sat down on the edge of the bunk and pulled off his right boot, but his left defeated him for the moment. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, you do. We all do. Even the children are going."

"But –"

"No buts. It's just that you had a somewhat sleepless night last night, and all that unaccustomed hard work today –"

"I work hard!" He glared at her over his shoulder, then winced again.

She got to her knees behind him, reaching around to undo his shirt buttons. "I know you do. Just not necessarily this kind of work. Yours is more … cerebral."

"Are you comparing me to Simon?"

"No. I just meant you find us the jobs, work out the plan of how to do things, deal with the customers … that kind of cerebral."

"Well, good. Just so long as you ain't accusing me of being a genius."

"Oh, I wouldn't do that." She eased the suspenders from his shoulders. "Are you coming to bed or are you just intending to sleep sitting up?"

"Not sure. Can I think about it for a while?"

She smiled, then slid off the bed and pulled off his remaining boot. "Lie down."

"Why?" He peered at her suspiciously.

"Because you look like your son right now, and I don't think anyone's going to mind if you don't get undressed this time."

"Are you staying naked?"

"I can't see the point of putting my clothes back on."

"That's okay, then." He leaned back, turning just enough so that his head hit the pillow, then lifted his legs one at a time onto the bed. He held out his left arm. "Come on."

She chuckled, then climbed across him and lay in her normal position, her head tucked into his shoulder, his arm resting around her back. "You know, this is sort of sexy, you being dressed, me being not." She ran her leg up his, feeling the course fabric of his pants against her bare flesh. "Mal, I said –"

He snored.

* * *

It was so pretty. Even in the thin light from the lantern it glittered, calling out to something ancient and primordial in his soul, and that thing was called _avarice_. Running his fingers over the surface, tracing the symbol standing proud, he could almost feel it move, the cold metal warming and flowing over his hand.

He reached for his water bottle, taking another long pull. It was warm, and did nothing to ease the burning in his throat, but it slaked his thirst for the moment. He held his find up again, admiring it, turning it first this way then that. His eyes narrowed. The light was dimming.

Turning to the lantern he realised its power was waning. He'd have to … _tah muh duh_, but that was the last one. He hadn't anticipated digging for so long, however long it was. He might have just enough time to get to the entrance, otherwise he'd have to find his way in the pitch black.

He cursed, loudly, hearing the words bouncing back from the hull of the ship. Snatching up the lantern, he ran along the tunnel, his feet pounding on the hard packed dirt as the illumination got fainter, finally dying altogether. He stumbled on a rock, managed to right himself, then stared upwards. Above him were stars, pinpoints of hard radiance in the velvet sky, fading out as they hit the glow of Port Town.

For a moment he stood breathless in the cool night air, then with a muttered obscenity retraced his steps to his pack. Going down onto his heels he stuffed the water bottle inside, adding a couple of protein bars. It was going to be more difficult without light, and he had no idea when dawn was, but he couldn't wait.

Straightening up he began the long trek into town, the voices in his ears clamouring to be heard. As he listened to their confidences, he didn't notice the water bottle slip from the open bag, lying forgotten behind him on the sand.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, far too early for civilised folks to be up, especially considering the activities of the day before, River ran through Serenity, pounding on all the doors. "Time to get up!" she shouted. "Time to party!"

Down in the captain's cabin, Mal growled. "If she don't shut up I'm gonna …"

"What?" Freya asked, raising herself up onto her elbow to look at him. "Put her out the airlock? Suggest she does the septic vat for the foreseeable? You really have a death wish or something?"

"Who from? Her?"

"Or Jayne. Or both." She chuckled lightly.

"I'd've thought being a mother might've slowed her down." Mal pushed his hand through his hair, making it stand on end.

"No sign of it so far." She leaned forward slightly, moving his shirt to one side and kissing the soft skin just above his collar bone.

"Couldn't you talk to her?" He shivered at her touch. "You know, seeing how she looks on you."

"What about you?" The kissing had turned to licking, just the tip of her tongue pressing into the indentation. "You're her _yan qin_."

"No, I ain't. That'd make Jayne my son-in-law, and I ain't having that." His breath hitched. "_Ai ren_, I think you're gonna have to hold that thought. Least for the time being. I need to shower if I'm gonna be anywhere near presentable for this here shindig."

"We've got plenty of time. No-one expects us until lunchtime." Her lips fastened on his neck.

"Yeah, but –"

She slid across him, her thighs opening around his hips. "You fell asleep last night," she pointed out.

"I was tired!"

"I wasn't."

"So I'm supposed to give in to your … _wuh de mah_ … to your advances whenever you feel … feel like it?" The way she was nibbling his ear was making him lose concentration, and the silver Firefly around her neck was pressing into his chest next to the gold cross she'd given him.

"Absolutely." Her breath made his skin tingle.

Without thinking, his hands came up and held onto her waist. "You're a terrible woman," he murmured.

"I thought that was what you loved about me."

"One of the many." He managed to regain enough control to glance towards the closed door to the nursery. "The kids?"

"Ethan's telling Jesse a story. They'll be a while."

"You … you told him?"

"Asked."

"Oh … good." His fingers ran up her spine, playing the vertebrae under her tattoo.

The sound of River running back down the top corridor, still banging and shouting, permeated through, but stopped suddenly before she reached their bunk. Freya smiled, and went to work on the top button of Mal's pants.

"Did you just …" he began to ask, then lost all power of conscious speech.

* * *

"But why can't Fiddler come?" Bethie asked, fidgeting as Kaylee tied her hair back in a pink ribbon.

"'Cause some folks don't like dogs." Her mother half-closed one eye to gauge whether it was straight or not. "Sometimes they're allergic, and other times … they just don't."

"But he's so small. And he wouldn't be a bother."

"Sorry, this _is_ Fiddler we're talking about?" Kaylee turned her daughter around. "He could find trouble on a deserted hunk of rock out of the edge of the Rim with two paws tied behind his back. Pretty much like your Uncle Mal."

Bethie giggled. "Paws." She stepped back. "Do I look nice?"

Kaylee ran an appraising eye over the little girl, from the pale pink party dress to the white ankle socks. "You look real shiny." She smiled. "You're gonna have to do your own shoes, though. I can't get down there too easy no more."

"Okay, Momma." She sat down on the bed and picked up one of her black patents. "If I tied Fiddler up outside, could he come?"

"And if he got loose. Ran away. What would you do then?"

"Fine," Bethie huffed. "He can stay and play with Maoli."

"'Kay." Kaylee had to suppress the grin that threatened. "I'm sure Maoli will like that." She eased her back, then her face paled. "You sit quietly 'til we're all ready, and I'll just …" She clamped a hand to her mouth and ran as fast as she could towards the toilet cubicle.

Simon, Hope's hand in his, leaned in the doorway. "Bethie, where's your mother going?"

"Throwing up," the little girl said, her tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth as she concentrated on doing up the button on her shoe strap.

"Of course." He looked down at his other daughter. "Hope, sit with Bethie for a while, okay?"

"Yes, Daddy." She nodded her blonde head and climbed up next to her sister, staring as she always did at the pirate ship in a bottle.

Simon hurried to help his wife. "Honey, are you okay?" he called through the closed door.

"Shiny. Really. I'm just shiny." Kaylee slid down the wall to sit down on the stall floor, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Then do you want to let me in?"

"Not really."

"I need to check you over, Kaylee."

"I'm fine." She flushed the toilet, letting the time it took for the noise to stop to gather her thoughts. "You know, maybe I'll stay behind. Got a coupla things I need to do in the engine room. I could get on with those."

"Kaylee, open the door. Before I go and get Jayne so he can take it off its hinges."

She glared at the panel, but knew from his tone that he wasn't joking. Reaching up she flipped the lock. "Fine."

Simon opened the door and went down onto his heels next to her, noting the slight sheen of sweat on her forehead, and the shadows in her cheeks. He stroked his hand down her arm, taking her fingers in his, unobtrusively checking her pulse as he did so. "_Bao bei_, I wish I could do something."

"I know." Kaylee put her head back onto the tiles. "And it's gonna be worth it, holding this little boy, but … You know how the Cap jokes sometimes about it being him getting pregnant next time?"

Simon smiled. "Whatever you want."

"Although River talked before about there being twins coming." She managed a shaky grin. "Could be you."

"I doubt it. I don't know how you manage carrying one." The sincerity in his words was evident. "And you've got to come. It's traditional, as everyone keeps telling me."

"I just thought it might be better, you know, if I need to …" She nodded towards the toilet bowl.

"I'm sure they have facilities at the hall."

"I s'pose." She held out her other hand. "C'mon. Help me up." He pulled her to her feet as she asked, "How's Jason?"

Simon had gone to the feed store to see Gilford immediately he was dressed. "All right. For a man his age, he's actually physically pretty good, but losing his wife like that, even though it was expected … he's finding it hard."

She rinsed her mouth in the small sink. "But it's been near on a year."

"_Bao bei_, if anything happened to you I'd never get over it."

He was rewarded with a glowing smile. "Me neither, Simon." Drying her face she added, "Think Sam might be able to help?"

"Long distance counselling?" Simon's lips twitched. "I'm sure there are closer people."

"Yeah, but he knows Sam."

"I can suggest it. Although I'm pretty sure what the answer will be."

"Me too." Kaylee sighed. "And I mean it about staying here. I ain't gonna be the life and soul of the party." She walked out of the toilet back into the common area. "And just the thought of all that food …" She shuddered, wondering if maybe she hadn't left the toilet too soon.

He followed her. "Honey, you have to eat."

"I know."

"The baby's taking what he needs, but the only place that can come from is you, but he doesn't understand if you're throwing up. He just keeps taking, and if you don't replace it –"

She whirled on him. "Simon, I ain't a child! I understand! And if I could keep down more'n a coupla bits of toast, I'd be gorging myself stupid!" Her voice had raised two levels.

"I didn't mean to upset you," Simon said, holding up both hands in the classic surrender pose. "I was just trying to explain that if you're not putting weight on as you should, and if I have to, I'll hook you up to a drip to get those nutrients into you."

She stared at him. "You wouldn't."

"I would." He reached out to her. "Anything to keep you safe."

"Oh, Simon …" She couldn't stay mad at him, even though the anger kept down the nausea. She slid into his arms.

Holding her as close as he could, he went on, "I want you to stay well, my darling Kaylee, no matter what. And I mean it about the drip."

"Won't have to." River stepped silently down the stairs, a slim glass phial in her hand. "Here."

"What's that?" Kaylee asked, looking past her husband.

"It will stop you throwing up." She held it out.

"Really?"

Simon held her back. "Wait a minute. What is that?"

"I told you. Something to stop Kaylee throwing up."

"Where did you get it from?"

"I made it. Collected the plants. Fermented it." She shook it slightly. "It will work, Kaylee."

"How do you know it isn't poisonous?" Simon asked.

River gave him her 'boob' look. "I tested it." She glanced into the infirmary, her nose wrinkling. "It's herbal."

"That doesn't mean –"

"And it's Mother Frye's recipe."

"My Ma?" Kaylee's eyes grew round. "You talked to my Ma?"

"Waved her. She gave me the recipe."

"Is that …" She couldn't finish. "My Ma doesn't ever give that recipe out. It's a secret. There's stuff in there that she ain't never –"

"Herbs," River repeated, holding out the phial. "Drink it. All of it. Now."

"Kaylee, I don't know if you should without me making sure –" Simon began, but his wife grabbed the glass tube.

"If River says it's okay, it's okay." Kaylee fixed him with a glare. "'Sides, it's my Ma's."

"That doesn't mean -"

"You impugning my Ma's recipes? That book's been handed down from mother to daughter since olden days, and one day it'll be mine." She stuck her chin out. "Are you saying they're all _fei oo_?"

"Kaylee, I didn't say any such thing. Just that it might be better if I tested this first."

The young mechanic looked at her sister-in-law. "You followed the recipe? Exactly?"

"Exactly," River confirmed.

"Then that's good enough." She removed the stopper.

"Just don't come running to me if you grow a second head or something," Simon said with a sigh.

"So long as it works." Without a second thought she poured the entire contents into her mouth. She swallowed, then licked her lips. "Mmn. Tastes like strawberries."

"Now what?" Simon asked his sister.

"Nothing. All done." She turned on her heel, her dark hair flowing behind her. "No more sickness," she added as she ran out of the common area back towards the shuttle. "And I've kept the recipe for next time."

Simon looked at Kaylee. "How do you feel?"

The young mechanic put her head onto one side. "Not sure. Don't feel sick, that's for certain. It's kinda… warming." She rubbed her belly. "Right behind the baby, too."

"If you feel anything strange, anything at all, you tell me. No matter what. Or when."

"Okay." She smiled at him, welcome colour coming back into her cheeks. "No problem."

"You do realise your mother would have been burned as a witch back on Earth-that-was, don't you?" Simon said, shaking his head slightly, then wincing as his darling wife punched him on the arm.

* * *

Ben watched Hank shaving, his little face doing the same actions as his father as he slid the plastic razor down his cheeks. Mal had bought him the set as a gift, mainly because Ethan had asked for one and he knew the other boy would feel left out otherwise. Ben had grinned widely when given it, and every chance he got he stood on a small stool next to the pull-down sink, lathered up his face and copied his daddy.

Hank couldn't help but feel a surge of paternal pride, but it brought home to him just how quickly time could pass out in the black. "Just … don't you go growing up too fast, _dong mah_?" he said, looking down at his son.

"Okay, Daddy." He pulled his top lip down over his teeth and attended to the skin below his nose.

"'Cause there's plenty of years for you to be thinking about being a man, and not so many to be a boy." Hank's mind skittered back to his own youth, losing his parents at a young age, and having to accept things weren't ever going to be the same again.

Ben fixed him with his grey eyes, shining out of his coffee-coloured face. "Having too much fun, Daddy," he admitted, grinning widely, then leaned over his bowl to rinse the remains of the soap from his skin.

"That's my boy," Hank said approvingly. "Don't ever stop having fun." He did the same, and for a few moments there was nothing except the sound of a man and his son blowing bubbles.

The bunk hatch opened, and Hank quickly wiped his eyes so he could see. "They up yet?" he asked as Zoe climbed down the ladder.

Serenity's first mate smiled. "Finally. Mal's just finishing in the shower and Freya's getting dressed."

"Can't we buy our own boat?" He rubbed his chin with the towel. "Then we can stay in bed all hours, and get up to … whatever it is the Cap and his wife get up to."

"Is this before or after you write a best-seller?" Zoe looked at herself in the mirror and tweaked a curl or two. She'd let her hair flow over her shoulders, but the only other concession to the party was the flame red top she had on, one of those Inara had given her when she was pregnant. It swung over her hips and was cinched in with a wide belt.

"Considering our savings amount to a handful of credits and some fluff, I think it's probably gonna have to be after. Maybe I can get some writing done this week, seeing as we're not going anywhere."

She took Ben's flannel and wiped his face, cleaning around his ears in spite of his protests. "I thought you had writer's block."

"That?" He waved his hand. "Hardly any."

"That bad, huh?"

He slung the towel over the rail and grinned. "I am now going to change the subject with great skill and dexterity. What do you think of my wrapping?" He nodded towards the parcel on the table.

She glanced at it critically. It had brown paper instead of fancy coloured stuff, but the green ribbon around it was straight, and the bow was quite well done. "You're getting better."

Hank puffed up a little with pride. "Thank you."

"Where did the ribbon come from?"

"Kaylee," Hank admitted. "Said I could use it."

"I helped!" Ben piped up.

Zoe smiled at her son. "And you did real well, too."

"Oh, so I'm just getting better, but Ben did well?" Hank raised an eyebrow at her. "What is this, favouritism?"

"Absolutely. Now, finish getting dressed or we'll be late."

Hank picked up the shirt lying ready. "When we do buy our own boat, I'll tell you, I'm gonna be captain," he muttered as he pushed his arms into the sleeves. "There'll be none of this talking back to me."

"You mean like Mal has now?" Zoe asked, smiling as she helped Ben into his pants.

* * *

Jayne and Matty were already waiting in the cargo bay for the others, the younger Cobb stroking Maoli, who lay across his knees like a svelte grey lap wrap. She was purring as he rubbed one finger around her ears then down her spine, and she stretched languidly, her claws emerging briefly from their sheaths then relaxing back.

"You know," Jayne commented, "considering she was nothing but a fur ball when Ethan found her, she's grown into something of a slinky cat."

"Did you ever have a pet?" Matty asked. "You know, when you were out on your travels."

"Nah. No time. Nor the inclination. Life I led, mostly I was keeping an eye out for the next man trying to kill me, and figuring when to move on. Having an animal around my heels would only've kept me back." He leaned over and flicked Maoli's tail, and the cat gave a small 'rowr', whether of satisfaction or annoyance was difficult to tell. "You?"

"We had a dog," Matty admitted, surprising his brother. "Ma thought it might help, you know, give me something to worry about apart from her, take my mind of your … well …" He stopped, and seemed suddenly very interested in the soft fur around Maoli's chin.

"My leaving," Jayne finished. "It's okay. You can say it."

"I didn't understand," Matty said quickly. "Pa dying, then you leaving … I didn't understand what you'd done, not for … not for a long time."

"Not your fault, Matty."

"Yes, it was. I let my feelings … my hatred …" A blush had crept up his chest and now coloured his face.

"I killed a man. I wasn't even old enough to drink legal and I took a man's life." Jayne didn't look at his brother, just stared out into the late morning sunlight. "And I threw up the minute I'd done it."

"Really?"

"Really. Seeing him, all that blood … knowing that a moment before he'd been a walking, talking human being and I'd turned him into a nothing, just a bag o'bones ready for the graveyard."

"He killed Pa."

"I know. But … what I did … broke Ma's heart. And she thought it was for the best, that I leave."

"But if you'd stayed, you could've -"

"What?" Now Jayne turned to gaze at his sibling. "Gone down the mines? Got damplung like you?" He shook his head. "No. Ma had the right of it. It might've taken a while longer, but I'd've left, tried to make my own way in the 'verse, probably ended up being just what I am."

"A husband and father?"

Jayne had to smile. "Nah, I'd pretty much say not that. Likely I'd still have been a merc, selling my gun to anyone as wanted to buy it. No good for much else, and it was all too easy learning not to throw up after killing. Hell, truth is, I'd prob'ly have been six feet under myself by now, if I'd stayed here."

"You don't know that."

"And you don't know I wouldn't." He glanced up towards the shuttle. "My River, sometimes she sees what might've been. Puts two and two together and makes more'n four. And there ain't a one of 'em that ends with me sitting on a porch here on Ezra with my kids by my side. In most of 'em I'm dead, so I figure I got the best end of the deal, even if it meant we didn't talk for twenty years."

"She can see the future?"

"Nah. More like what's not." The big man chuckled. "And it ain't like what she says always happens. There's 'pparently one 'might've been' where elves paint the bay sky blue, but it ain't never happened yet."

"I'd like to see it if it does," Matty admitted.

"Me too."

They laughed companionably as the Tam family hurried through from the common area.

"Hey, we late?" Kaylee asked, puffing slightly. As the pregnancy progressed, she was finding it harder to rush anywhere, and wondered how River had managed to stay so light on her feet virtually right until she gave birth.

"Nah," Jayne said, grinning at her. "We're just sitting here, chewing the fat."

"Daddy?" Hope looked up at Simon. "What does 'chewing the fat' mean?"

"Just that they were talking about nothing much in particular," her father said.

"Oh. Thank you." She slid her thumb into her mouth.

"No, honey, don't do that."

"'Kay." Pulling it from her lips she wiped it down her dress.

Simon sighed.

"Matty was just telling me he used to have a dog," Jayne said as Bethie crossed to them, automatically stroking Maoli.

She looked up, all big-eyed. "Ooh. What kind?"

Matty laughed. "Don't think it was any kind. Just a mutt. Sort of brown colour, with black ears." He shook his head. "I loved that dog."

"What happened to it?" she asked, looking past him out into the dust of Ezra as if half expecting to see it.

"What happens to everything. He grew old. Died."

Now Bethie's eyes filled with tears. "D … died?" she stammered, staring at him. "Is Fiddler going to …" She couldn't finish.

Jayne reached forward quickly, picking her up and settling her onto his knee. "One day," he admitted. "But that ain't gonna be for a long time yet. Not for years and years."

Matty felt guilty for upsetting her. "'Sides, I hear tell small dogs live a lot longer than big ones. And most of 'em don't have real doctors looking after 'em."

"You mean like my Daddy?" Bethie asked, blinking hard.

"'Xactly."

Bethie relaxed. "Years and years and years and years," she said softly, leaning into her Uncle Jayne's shoulder.

"Good save," Kaylee murmured to Simon.

"It will happen one day, though," Simon replied, equally quietly.

"I know. So does she. It's just … she's young."

"And we forget just how young sometimes, don't we?"

Kaylee slid her hand into his. "That we do."

"Hey, somebody getting some affection I'm not?" Hank said from the top catwalk, standing aside so Zoe could go down the stairs in front of him, Ben hurrying down to stand next to Hope.

"What, you want me to dangle you on my knee?" Jayne said.

Hank appeared to think about it for a moment, then said, "Honey, shoot me now."

"I'm not armed," his wife pointed out, reaching the cargo bay floor.

"I am," Jayne said. "I could lend it ya."

"No shooting on my ship 'less I say," Mal's voice said before the man himself appeared above them, Freya just behind. Ethan and Jesse scampered down to join the other children.

"What, not even a little bit?" Jayne complained. "I wouldn't hurt him much. Just a flesh wound."

Bethie giggled.

"No." Mal shifted the box under his arm. "We all here?"

"Not quite. Moonbrain!" Jayne yelled.

"Coming!" River's voice filtered from the shuttle.

Mal shook his head. "As urbane as ever," he muttered to himself. "Well, it's time we got gone," he said in his normal tone.

"We weren't the ones keeping everyone waiting," Kaylee pointed out, then grinned delightedly as the faintest of pink tinges swept across her captain's cheeks.

"That's as maybe, but we need to go. Now."

As if she'd been listening, Maoli got to her feet on Matty's lap, stretched her back so that she curved up high in the middle, then jumped noiselessly to the floor. With another 'rowr', this time at Ethan, she strolled silently up the stairs, a study in nonchalance, before disappearing through the top doorway.

"You know," Mal whispered to Freya, "I'm thinking that cat might have the right of it. Can't help feeling I'd be better off curling up on someone's bed instead of going to this here shindig."

"You're going."

"Damn."

* * *

The party was taking place in the local hall, and anyone who was anyone seemed to have been invited. And anyone who wasn't anyone, but might have been someone in a former life. Or knew someone who had been anyone. Or … basically it seemed to be the whole town.

Leaning against the empty fireplace Judge Warren Jefferson held court, surrounded by his five daughters and his wife.

"They all his?" Jayne asked, eyeing them carefully.

"Yep," Matty confirmed. "Dan's the only boy amongst 'em, and the only one married."

"Couldn't wait to get out from the apron strings, huh?"

"Pretty much. Gets himself elected Sheriff then goes and ties himself up to Deirdra Walsh, as was."

"Yeah, River was talking about her. She thinks the Sheriff's playing away from home."

"He isn't. It's just she can be such a … a harpy sometimes that he works all the hours he can, just so he doesn't have to face her."

Jayne shook his head, not surprised that Matty would know. Somewhere like Port Town, most people knew everyone else's business. It was just a fact of life.

Mal was staring at the pile of gifts on the table by the door while Freya smoothed down Ethan's hair and adjusted his little collar.

"I'm guessing seventeen toast racks, four table lamps and a coupla dozen tea towels," he said quietly.

"Then it's a good job we didn't get any of those, isn't it?" She twinkled at him.

"What did we get them, by the way?" He'd found the parcel already wrapped, the result of a shopping trip Freya had made the day before.

She smiled enigmatically, and instead led the way towards where the bride-to-be stood, greeting the guests, a younger version of herself at her side.

"So glad you could make it," Jolene said.

"We wouldn't miss it," Freya responded, leaning forward and kissing the other woman on the cheek.

"Oh, and I don't think you've met Katie yet, have you?" Jolene turned to her daughter. "Katie, this is Freya and Mal. They're friends of Matty."

Katie summoned up enough enthusiasm to say, "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Freya said. "Are you looking forward to the wedding?"

"I suppose."

"Katie," Jolene said warningly.

"Can I go talk to Tara, Mom?" Katie asked, a slight teenage whine in her voice.

"You only saw her ten minutes ago."

"But we've got things to say."

"Oh, go on. And see if you can't find your brother."

The whine increased. "Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"Oh, all right." She slouched off.

"Sorry about that," Jolene said. "Sometimes I wonder if I ever taught my kids manners at all."

"Don't worry about it. I think all girls have to go through it. It's like a right of passage."

Jolene laughed. "They need a man around. Someone who can … be a father to them."

"I think Matty will do just right." Freya nodded across the room. "Have you forgiven him yet?"

Jolene glanced at Matty, who waved at her. "Not sure."

"I would, if I were you. They're only men, after all."

"Oh, I know. And my first husband was just the same, 'cept he never managed to get himself bound."

"Probably not for the lack of trying."

"You're right there."

Mal, feeling his entire sex was being slighted somehow, said, "So what happens now? There something we need to know? One of these traditions you're keen on?"

Jolene laughed. "No. No traditions. Just eat, have a drink, and enjoy yourselves."

"I think we can manage that."

A new arrival moved forward, and Mal hooked his arm through Freya's, steering her away. "You think Jesse's going to be like that?" he asked, more than a little alarmed. "All … moany like that Katie."

"Probably. But she'll grow out of it."

"How long does it take?"

"Oh, I'd say from the time they reach double figures until they get married." The look on his face made her laugh, and she pulled him closer so they touched down their bodies. "Mal, it might not happen with her at all. She's a good girl, and with you as her father …"

"Now you're just trying to make me feel better."

"Is it working?"

"Not sure. Try some more."

They headed for the small bar set up at the end of the hall, and Jayne watched them go.

"There was one 'might have been'," River said behind him. "You, sitting on a porch, surrounded by a dozen children, three dogs and parrot."

He half turned as she slid under his arm. "Parrot?"

"Named Hamlet."

"What the hell would I want with a parrot?"

She shrugged, moving her slim frame against him. "It was only a possibility."

"And just who was the mother of this here brood?"

"Meg."

"So if I'd stayed …"

River shook her head, one small strand of hair coming loose from its clip. "No. You didn't stay. You left, lived a life full of wine, women and death, and came to me."

His lips twitched. "Still say I got the best of the deal."

"So do I."

"So where's my son and heir?"

"Kaylee's showing him off to assorted townspeople. Her nephew."

"Well, he is mighty handsome."

"Mighty." She frowned.

"What is it, Riv?" His own brow furrowed and he wanted to smooth the lines from hers.

"Not sure. Something." She glanced towards the door.

He tensed. "Trouble?" He had a small handgun tucked in the back of his pants under his waistcoat, and another in one boot and a knife in the other. River, he knew, had her thigh holster on, and he was pretty sure Freya was carrying too, but if it was something big coming …

River looked frustrated. "Can't tell," she admitted. "Too many voices."

"Be better if we went outside?"

"Not in here. Out there." She turned to stare at the entrance to the hall, then everything slowed.

The door burst open and a man staggered through, barely keeping his feet as he half fell into the room. He took three steps, his mouth working but no sound coming out, arms flailing to try and maintain his balance.

From the corner of his eye Jayne saw River sweep her dress up and pull her gun from its holster, even as he did the same with the one in the small of his back. Zoe must have been lying earlier, because she suddenly had a pistol in her hand, as did Freya and Mal, all pointed at the interloper.

The man reeled, almost as if he was surprised to see so many people and not a few guns all trained on him. He lurched backwards, probably trying to get out, but instead he fell against the gift table, scattering brightly coloured boxes everywhere. He pitched onto his face and lay still.

There was silence, and time snapped back to normal.

"Hope there was nothing breakable in them presents," Hank said, and nobody told him to shut up.


	10. Chapter 10

"Jayne, River," Mal ordered, and the big man and his wife ran outside to make sure they weren't going to be interrupted by anyone else, guns and other weapons at the ready.

Dan Jefferson pushed his way through the crowd. "Trouble just seems to follow you around, doesn't it?" he commented.

"You have no idea."

Simon went down onto his knees next to the fallen man, feeling for a pulse in his neck, his free hand checking for other injuries as the Sheriff dropped to his heels beside him.

"Well?"

The young man looked up, a hint of surprise on his face. "He's dead."

"Any idea how?"

"Not a clue. I can't see any blood, and there's no broken bones so far, but … help me turn him over."

"Okay." Jefferson threaded his hands under the body, and between them they rolled him carefully onto his back.

Staring eyes greeted them, wide and bulging, the skin taut over the planes of the skull, and sporting an unnatural redness that contrasted with the faint blue tint to his lips. His clothes, while originally expensive and probably made to measure, were now a mere shadow of their former selves, torn and encrusted with dried mud.

Jayne and River came back inside. "No-one out there, Mal. Looks like he might've walked in from the desert, 'cause there's no vehicle in sight."

"That would explain the sunburn," Simon murmured, and Jefferson nodded.

"Got any better reason why he's dead, though?" the Sheriff asked.

Simon looked back down at the body. "Without an autopsy it would be difficult to –"

"Best guess."

Running experienced hands over the corpse, Simon detected no internal damage, nor bullet holes, stab wounds … "There's borderline malnutrition, and possibly severe sunstroke due to dehydration … no petechial haemorrhaging, so I doubt he was suffocated or strangled –"

"Since he walked … well, staggered in here under his own steam, I kinda doubt that too," Jefferson said dryly.

Simon fixed him with his blue eyes. "You asked for my opinion, Sheriff."

"'Cause you seem to be the closest we got to a doc in these parts, least at the moment. And since we're bonding over a dead man, I think you'd better call me Dan."

"Dan."

"And you're right. I did ask for your opinion. Go on."

Returning to the body, Simon carried on. "From the colour of his lips, the texture of his skin, and the way his hand is clawed like that, I'd probably have to say it was a heart attack."

Dan Jefferson raised his eyebrows. "Natural causes?"

"Unless it can be proved differently. Of course, if you want a second opinion, or –"

"No, no, don't want to be cutting on a man, even a dead one, unless we've got some reason to think he's been murdered." Dan leaned forwards, closing the unnerving eyes, then moved round on his heels to look at the rest of the party goers, who – unlike Serenity's crew – were gathered as far away from the body as possible. "Anyone know him?"

There was general shaking of heads and murmurs, all negative.

Then Jason Gilford stepped forward, and coughed slightly. "I … might. The way he looks now … well, if it is him, he didn't look like that then. But something like three or four weeks ago a man came into my store, bought a load of supplies. Said he was going camping in the desert, needed to stock up. I told him he was _feng dian_, 'cause our desert don't look kindly on fools, but he was insistent."

"How did he pay?"

"Cash."

"Give a name?"

"No. Sorry."

Dan faced the body again, and started to go through what remained of the pockets. After only a few moments he grunted, then stood upright. He had one of the new IDent cards in his hand, and Mal felt a frisson of surprise. This was the second time he'd come across one of those in only a few months. The dead man must've had money. Or connections.

Dan held the card to the light. "Looks like we might be finding out who the deceased is after all." He activated the chip and his eyebrows raised. "Well maybe someone must be wanting to know where he is after all. According to this, his name's Ephraim Ingleby. Appears he's a curator at the Ariel Museum of Antiquities." He looked around the crowd again, but all the faces were surprised but nothing more. "Well, I'll have to contact the Alliance, let 'em know we've found him, and they can decide what to do with the body."

Judge Jefferson moved into the empty space. "You sure it's natural? Wouldn't want to be telling 'em one thing and then finding out we'd misread it."

Dan glanced at Simon, who climbed to his feet.

"I could do some tests, see if he's been poisoned," the young man offered, "but I stand by my original diagnosis. More than likely just a heart attack. If he worked at the Museum, he's unlikely to have been used to hard labour, and from the state of his clothes I'd say that's what he'd been doing. A sedentary lifestyle, too much rich food, add into that unaccustomed physical exercise … and we don't know how long he'd been walking."

The Judge looked satisfied. "Fine. Dan, do what you have to. Terry, Brian, you take this man down to the undertaker's office. He's the only one can keep him on ice until we find out what we're supposed to do with him, but I wouldn't mind betting we'll end up burying him, and pay for the privilege. If he came out here prospecting, not only was he crazy, but I doubt there was anyone at home trying to stop him. Likely he's got no close relatives."

"But Judge –" Terry began.

"But nothing. You do like I say. Just 'cause this ain't a courtroom, don't mean you can stand around lollygagging."

The two men detailed to remove the corpse glanced at each other, but walked forward. With great reluctance that bordered on revulsion, they picked Ingleby up by his shoulders and feet, and manoeuvred out of the door. It swung to with a click after them.

"Is that what you think he was doing, Judge?" Mal asked. "Prospecting?"

"Don't see another reason," the elder Jefferson said. "We've got the mines, a'course, and it ain't the first time some fool's believed he knows where there's a new vein. Have to say, though, ain't never had a Core man do it."

"This is crazy," Jolene muttered. "First Matty gets bound, now a dead man falls into my party …" She wrapped her arms around herself. "Maybe it's a sign. Maybe I shouldn't be getting married at all."

Deirdra, standing next to her, moved closer. "Now, you don't mean that. It's just a coincidence, is all."

"Coincidence?" She whirled on her friend. "I don't believe in coincidences like that! Something's saying if we go on this way it'll be one of my friends or family that's lying on the undertaker's slab!"

Matty, hearing her voice clearly in the quiet, started towards her. "Jo, you ain't making sense. It's not –"

"Me not making sense?" Her eyes were full of fire. "You spent all day yesterday working off a debt, and you talk about me not making sense?"

"Calm down," he pleaded. "You know you don't wanna call off the wedding. Not after all the hard work you've –"

That was obviously the wrong thing to say. "I do! I _do_ wanna call off the wedding!" She waved her arms at the crowd. "And you can all go home. This ain't a party no more, it's a wake, and I ain't having this!"

There was mutterings, and not a few echoes of nervous laughter, but nobody moved.

"You heard me!" she said, getting more and more agitated. "Go home!"

"Jolene." Matty tried once more. "Please. Let's just talk about this."

Her face took on an obstinate look that made his heart sink. "No. Done talking. Everybody leave, right now."

"Jo –"

"I think it would be better if we made this another day, don't you?" Freya said, her voice cutting across the murmur behind them, her gun put back into its place, out of sight. "Deirdra, can you and Carmen deal with the food? It would be a shame to waste it."

The two friends nodded firmly. "A'course we can. No problem," Carmen said. "I got a big enough freezer for most of it."

"I'll take the rest," Deirdra offered.

"Good."

"Come on, Katie," Carmen added. "You and Zach can give us a hand." She picked up a platter of sandwiches in each hand.

A boy in his early teens did the same. "Sure thing, Auntie Carmen," he said, his open face showing a willingness to help.

Katie rolled her eyes at her brother, but grabbed two jugs of fruit juice and stomped towards the back entrance. Deirdra followed, her arms also full.

As the door closed behind them, Freya went on, "If everyone else would just head on home, I'm sure things will soon be back to normal." She stood to one side, smiling in a friendly fashion, but no-one was in any doubt she was quite serious.

Mal couldn't help the curve to his lips, feeling a certain amount of smug pride that it was _his_ wife taking charge.

Judge Jefferson was the first to move. "Quite right. Better we reconvene this another time. Come on, girls." He swept out, his wife and daughters at his heels, twittering and chirping behind him like a flock of brightly coloured birds.

The rest followed suit, until only the crew, Matty, Dan Jefferson and Jolene were left.

"And I pretty much think this is my cue to skedaddle," Dan said, straightening his jacket. "You folks ain't leaving any time soon, are you?"

"Not yet," Mal said. "We're still booked for the wedding. If it goes ahead," he added quickly, seeing Jolene's glare focus on him. "Although why you're still wanting the pleasure of our company is a mite cloudy to me."

Dan smiled. "I got the feeling this isn't over. And if I need someone to blame, you're likely candidates." He chuckled and strode out.

"You know, maybe you should leave," Matty suggested quietly to his brother. "I don't want you getting into trouble."

The corner of Jayne's mouth lifted. "It ain't like it's the first time."

"Yes, but –"

"We ain't going nowhere, Matty. Not leaving you to have to deal with things if we run out. And I'm best man – I can't go."

Matty had to grin, and the thought flashed across his mind that he might have missed out on this, having someone like Jayne to lean on if he'd given in to his first impulse that day and just shot him. He turned to his erstwhile fiancée, quickly wiping the smile from his face. "Honey?" he began somewhat diffidently. "Are you feeling better now?"

She glared at him. "No, I'm not."

River touched Jayne's arm, and he nodded, saying quickly, "Matty, you wanna give the girls a hand with that food? Otherwise they're gonna be marching backwards and forwards with it all day."

"I don't –"

"Matty, you pick up something right now, or we'll be finishing that fight we started a while back. 'Sides, I'll be right there with you so they won't be able to pick on you."

"Fine, fine." The younger Cobb gave in, grabbing a handful of small sausages which he thrust into his mouth before carrying the platters out, adjusting his opinion about shooting his brother.

Jayne grinned, growled a laugh as if he knew exactly what Matty was thinking, and followed, a small keg of beer under each arm.

"Now," Freya said, her voice calming, gentle. "Jolene, you, River, Zoe and me are gonna all go back to the house, and we're going to sit down with a cup of tea, and you're going to relax."

"I don't need to relax."

"Oh, I think you do." She wound her arm through Jolene's, River taking the other side. "And I, for one, could do with a sit down. I'm getting too old for this kinda thing."

Between them the two women steered the bride-to-be out, Zoe falling in step and trying hard not to grin.

"She ain't too old for anything," Mal muttered, then turned to the others. "We'd best head back to Serenity. I think that Sheriff was joking about making us take the blame for whatever happens next, but I can't help feeling he ain't wrong about this not being over yet." He took a deep breath. "'Sides, if the Alliance come calling for the body, I'd like to be a better distance from here."

"Amen to that," Simon agreed.

"Wait a minute." Kaylee was looking around the room. "Where's Hope?"

"What?" Simon stared at her, then at the small huddle of children by the empty fireplace.

"She was … I …" Feeling her heart beginning to pound, Kaylee started searching, pulling out the chairs against the wall, leaving them to tumble where they fell.

"Do you think she left with everyone else?" Simon's face had paled.

"We'll go check," Hank began, glancing at Mal, who wished fervently that his two Readers hadn't just walked out. He glanced at Bethie, about to ask her where her sister was, and why she didn't seem to be worried, when he was interrupted.

"Momma?" A little voice, high and tremulous, sounded from under the erstwhile gift table.

Kaylee fell to her knees, ignoring her burgeoning belly, and lifted the curtain of white linen. There, amongst the boxes knocked from above, sat Hope, clutching her knees to herself, her face pale, her body trembling. "Oh, baby." Kaylee reached out, and the little Tam scrambled into her embrace.

"Ben was getting food," she explained, tears running down her cheeks. "I was waiting."

Kaylee hugged her tightly. "I shoulda known. You're always doing that." She blinked hard, then looked into her daughter's face and smiled. "'Spect you're still hungry, too, ain't you?"

Hope sniffed, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "Little bit."

"I am too, Momma," Bethie said. "And Ethan. And Jesse. And –"

"Okay, we get that," Mal interjected. "I think maybe some food might not be a bad idea either. For all of us. In fact time we all went," he added, and led the way out into the hot sunshine.

"_Bao bei_, give her to me," Simon said, holding out his hands.

Reluctantly Kaylee handed her over, aware that in her current condition she wasn't the best person to be carrying her. Simon lifted Hope onto his hip, and she snuggled into his shoulder, feeling safer, neither of them noticing the little girl had something clasped tightly in her hand.

* * *

As Jayne walked up the stairs towards the kitchen, he could hear the murmur of voices. Reaching the doorway he could see Mal leaning on the counter, coffee in his hand, while Simon, Kaylee and Hank were sitting at the table, the remains of a scratch meal in front of them. The children were in the alcove, Fiddler at their feet and Maoli stretched out along the top of one of the easy chairs.

"I'm fine, Simon. Don't fuss." Kaylee reached out and picked up another bread roll, munching happily on it.

"Well, you certainly seem to have got your appetite back."

"Must be River's potion. It just seems so long since I've been able to look at food without feeling the urge to chuck it all back up again." She looked up and saw Jayne stepping into the galley. "Everything squared away?"

"Yep. That Carmen made something of a pass at me, but I declined."

"Good thing too. One dead body a day is enough." She shivered slightly, but didn't stop eating.

Jayne walked around the counter and poured himself a mug of coffee. "The girls not back yet?"

"Not so far," Mal said, watching his ex-mercenary as he headed for his seat. "I don't doubt Jolene's pouring out all her troubles to the receptive ears of our wives as we speak." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Although the fact that Matty ain't with you is something of a worry."

Jayne chuckled. "He decided he really wanted to be married, and went round to talk some sense into Jolene, and damn the traditions."

"She won't see him," Kaylee pointed out. "Not the way she was talking."

"Then he's gonna camp outside. When Matty gets something into his head, there ain't enough dynamite in the world to shift it."

"It seems all the Cobbs are the same, then," Hank noted, a grin on his face.

"Pretty much. We want something, we go for it."

"And that's caused most of the trouble you've ever found yourself in." Mal pushed himself away from the counter, then noticed the children were engrossed in something shiny on the table. "What've you got there?" he asked, smiling at them.

Hope picked it up quickly and thrust it into her pocket. "Nothing, Uncle Mal," she said, turning big innocent eyes on him.

"Nothing, eh?" He crossed to the alcove. "Then why won't you show me?"

"It's just … nothing." She tried a smile, but she wasn't as good at dissembling as her older sister, and she started to squirm under his gaze.

Mal put his cup down on the table and went down onto his heels. "Hope, I'm not cross. No-one is. But if it's something you shouldn't have, then –"

"I found it!" she blurted out, then went pink.

"Don't you think you'd better let me see it? Just so's I can make sure it's all right?"

"No." She crossed her arms tightly, her face set in a stubborn look Mal recognised from certain other Tams.

"Hope." Simon had stood up. "Whatever it is, give it to Mal."

"No!" She looked like she was going to cry.

Ben leaned over and whispered in her ear, holding out his hand. She glared at him, but then sighed heavily and pulled something from her pocket. She placed it into his palm.

"Here, Uncle Mal," the little boy said.

"Thank you, Ben." Mal took it, and his eyebrows raised. "Hope, where did you get this?"

"Found it." Now she'd been forced to give it up, the little girl was sullen and unresponsive.

Mal got to his feet, still staring at the object.

"Mal?" Simon moved closer. His breath hitched. "My God. Is that what I think it is?"

"Cap'n?" Kaylee was trying to see without having to lever herself out of her chair, and Hank was already pushing his chair back.

"What's going on?" Jayne wanted to know.

"Not entirely sure," Mal admitted, crossing to the big table. Reaching out he placed a coin in the centre of the old wood. About two inches across, the side facing up had the design of an eagle on it, wings spread, as if about to leap off and attack.

"Wow," Kaylee breathed, intoxicated by its gleam.

"Seconded." Hank leaned forward. "Is that … gold?"

"Sure as hell looks like it." Mal sat down, resting his chin on his crossed arms, staring at the coin.

"Hope, honey, where did you get it from?" Simon asked, glancing at his youngest daughter.

The little girl sniffed. "I found it. S'mine."

"But where?"

"Where we were. After that man …" She stopped, her hand reaching out for Ben, who took it and held on tightly. "He dropped it."

"Ingleby?" Mal looked over. "Today?"

"'Es."

He shook his head. "Maybe the man did find something after all," he said softly, turning back.

As they all stared at the coin, Bethie felt Ethan's eyes on her. She looked at him, raising her chin in defiance. She knew what he was telling her, that she had to show them the other one, the one from Uncle Jayne's box. But that was hers. Uncle Jayne gave it to her.

Ethan mouthed something, and although she tried to ignore it, she knew what he'd said. _Have to._

With a sigh dragged deep from the soles of her shoes, she slid from the chair and ran out of the galley towards the stairs.

"It kinda looks familiar," Jayne was saying.

"If it is gold," Hank hefted it in his fingers, feeling the weight before placing it carefully back down, "I'd say you've got an affinity for it."

"We all have," Mal agreed. "Kinda makes life run a bit smoother if you've got any."

"It just don't look like much." Kaylee leaned forward as far as she could. "I mean, it's pretty n'all, but it kinda reminds me more of that chocolate money covered in foil we got once in a while."

"You had that too?" Simon looked at his wife in surprise. "We always used to get some on holidays, birthdays, that sort of thing."

"Christmas." Kaylee absently patted her belly, her face taking on a dreamlike expression as she remembered. "A little bag, right at the bottom of the stocking, just when you thought it was all gone and ... there it was."

"We had pillowcases."

"Figures," Jayne muttered, but the other two ignored him.

"I used to keep the foil," Kaylee went on. "I'd cut out circles of wood, make 'em back into coins." She smiled. "Took 'em to the store once, tried to buy ... I think it was a do-it-yourself necklace kit. They called my Dad, and he had to come get me. Seem to recall him paying for the kit himself, then explaining about real money." Shaking her head slightly, she added, "Always had to be making something. Or fixing it."

Simon put his hand on hers. "You haven't changed, _bao bei_."

She looked at him with adoration in her eyes.

Mal coughed. "Well, as sweet as this is – and I'm planning on throwing up pretty much immediately – it ain't getting us any closer to finding out where Ingleby found this. Or if there's any more."

"You think there might be?" Hank asked.

"Might be." He looked up at Jayne. "Could you track Ingleby back to where he came from? Out in the desert, I mean."

"I doubt it, Mal," the big man had to admit. "There's a dry wind out there, and it's like to have blown away any sign by now. And it ain't rained in a month of Sundays, so there's not gonna be any wet prints or such."

"And we don't even know the direction he came from."

"Sorry, Mal."

"Oh well. Looks like maybe this is the only –" He froze as a small hand reached over the edge of the table and placed an identical coin next to the first. "Bethie?" He looked down at her.

"S'mine," the little girl said quickly. "But it looks the same."

"Where in the hell did ..." He stopped, then lifted Bethie onto his knee. "Short stub, where'd this come from?"

"Uncle Jayne's box." She began to fiddle with his suspender. "It was wedged in the corner, and I thought it was pirate treasure." She looked up into his blue eyes. "Did I do wrong?"

"Bethie, you're wasting some perfectly good puppy dog on me, 'cause no, you didn't."

She sighed in relief. "Good."

Mal turned his cobalt gaze onto his ex-mercenary instead. "But it does kinda leave the question open as to where he got it from. Jayne? You got any light you wanna shed on this development?"

Jayne had been staring at the two coins, wondering if that blow to the head had made him develop double vision. At Mal's query he lifted his head. "Uh ... no?"

"Not the answer I was looking for there."

"I don't rutting know, Mal!" he began to bluster, then wilted slightly from his captain's glare. "Honestly, I ain't got any idea. I said the other one'd looked familiar, so that's prob'ly why. But I don't know where I got it. Hell, Mal, it was thirty years ago since I looked in that damn box last!"

"What's going on?"

Everyone turned to see Freya standing in the doorway.

"How's Jolene?" Mal asked in turn.

"Wondering whether she's doing the right thing in marrying Matty, and he's trying to persuade her she is, while Zoe and River are playing referee. I said I'd come back and let everyone know." She stepped down into the kitchen. "And you didn't answer my question."

"Well, it's a mite complicated."

She sat down next to him. "I've got time."


	11. Chapter 11

As Mal began to explain to Freya the discovery of the two coins, Zoe came in and he paused.

"Is this a council of war, sir?" she asked, smiling.

"Something like," Hank said, quickly getting up to pour her a coffee. "Hungry?"

"Not particularly. I grabbed a sandwich at the house." She sat down. "So what _are_ we discussing?"

"Where's Riv?" Jayne interrupted.

"Coming. She said she had something to do when we left Jolene."

Jayne chuckled. "Matty still in one piece?"

"Barely. I think he's going for the sympathy vote right now."

"Well, the Cobbs have been known for being able to make with the puppy dog eyes, ever since we came over from Earth-that-was. Just ask moonbrain."

Simon made a face. "Do we have to?" He got up from the table and crossed to the alcove, smiling at the children before picking up the small portable Cortex screen Freya used for teaching.

Zoe took the coffee from her husband and said, "Anyway, I'd still like to know what's going on."

Mal picked up one of the coins. "Well, it started with –"

"What did I miss?" River asked, jumping down into the kitchen and landing silently.

"Mal was about to tell us what's going on," Freya said. "Eventually." She gave him a look then leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.

"I've been trying for the last five minutes!" the man in question blustered.

"Well, hurry up."

He glared at her, then gave a surprisingly concise account of their discoveries.

"So two coins," Freya said, rolling one of the coins over in her fingers. "And Ingleby brought this one back in from the desert."

"Or maybe it was that one," Hank admitted, pointing to the second coin. "'Cause they look identical to me."

"They are," Mal agreed. "And no way of knowing how long it's been out there. That's the trouble with gold," he added. "Can't tell how old it is."

"Feels like gold." Freya tossed it from hand to hand.

"I think that's pretty sure to be the –"

"_Cao_." Simon's voice stopped all the others, not least because he hardly ever swore.

"Doc?" Mal turned to him. "You got something you wanna add to this discussion?"

The young man was staring at the Cortex screen. "I think I know what it is." He immediately had everyone's undivided attention.

"Go on."

Simon looked up. "Something about it … reminded me of something I'd seen before. A long time ago. And then Jayne mentioning Earth-that-was –"

"I did?"

"– it sort of kick started my brain."

Mal glanced at Freya. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's almost a myth. A legend."

For a man who had lived as long as Mal, his hold on his temper could be somewhat tenuous. "Doc, I've got an itch in my trigger finger, so if you don't enlighten us I'm gonna have to give in and shoot you."

"Cap'n!" Kaylee said reproachfully.

"Since I don't want to encourage you to murder …" Simon picked up the medallion. "I think ... I think this is from the Kugelman Hoard."

"What?"

"Surely you've heard of it?"

Bethie piped up. "I have!" She was bouncing in the easy chair next to Ethan.

Her father smiled over his shoulder at her. "You would."

"Pirate treasure!"

"Pirates?" Mal's brow furrowed.

"Well, not quite," Simon corrected.

Mal rubbed at his brow as if in pain. "Simon, you either come to the point or I give into my first instinct and shoot you."

"Uncle Mal. Not nice to joke," Bethie chided.

"Who said I was joking?"

"Uncle Mal."

Simon swallowed the smile at his little daughter chastising the captain, then tossed the medallion into the air. He was surprised to see Mal's hand snake out and grab it before it could fall back into his palm.

"Okay, enough. What the hell is the Kugelman Hoard?" Mal demanded.

"It came from Earth-that-was, in the generation ships. It's supposed to be a collection of some of the most exquisite art imaginable."

"What kinda stuff?"

"Paintings. Statues. Some religious relics."

"Worth a lot?"

"Priceless."

"And this?" Mal held up the medallion.

"It's a gold coin representing five hundred old dollars, minted especially for the occasion, along with one hundred and ninety nine others."

"How much is five hundred dollars?" Hank wanted to know, and even Jayne was sitting forward.

"That's irrelevant." Simon saw Hank about to argue, so added quickly, "I mean, it was just an amount. The coins were worth much more than the face value, as soon as they were minted. Virtually unique. I believe the President at that time asked for one for his private collection, and was refused."

"How do you know about this?" Mal asked, honestly intrigued.

"I was always interested in history. Besides, one of my teachers was something of a conspiracy theorist."

"Conspiracy."

"That's why it rang a bell." His eyes drifted away from the captain as he looked back into the past. "It was a wet Wednesday afternoon and nobody wanted to do any work, so Bradley Camberson asked Mr O'Connell about … something or other, and eventually it led onto the Kugelman hoard."

"Spirited away to pay for revolution," River said softly.

Her brother nodded, thinking she must have been strolling through his thoughts again. "That's what he considered."

River smiled at him. "Not strolling. You told me when you got home."

"Did I?"

"I remember." She leaned against Jayne, her eyes half closing as she enjoyed his warmth.

Freya could see Mal beginning to make a fist. "Simon, I think you'd better get on with the story," she said firmly.

"Of course." Simon tapped the Cortex screen. "I just needed to remind myself. It disappeared. Not too long after the ships arrived in this system, the Hoard vanished. No-one's seen even a gold dollar or a fleck of paint of it since."

"And you figure this is part of the treasure?"

"There was an exhibition of some of the items as soon as the first cities were completed, and one of the catalogues survives. Look." He put the screen down in the centre of the table so they could all see the image. Enlarged, of course, but a gold coin, an eagle in the centre, about to fly from the surface …

"Sure looks like it," Jayne muttered.

"The eagle, n'all," Hank agreed.

"Damn." Mal sat back, rubbing the coin with his thumb. "So this Hoard … it really vanished?"

Simon nodded. "The curator at the time …" His eyebrows drew together. "I wish I could remember his name. Anyway, he thought some people within the Alliance would use it to buy power."

"That happened anyway."

"Yes, but not immediately. You have to understand, when the colony ships arrived, everything was supposed to be about a new start. Democracy at work from the very beginning, every man having the right to pursue happiness and prosperity."

Freya gave a short bark of laughter. "Sure. Pursue it, but not necessarily achieve it."

"I agree, they worded things very carefully. But it didn't take long for the various factions to start fighting, and Mr O'Connell was of the opinion that there was more than one fortuitous 'accident' to a member of Parliament before things settled down. And even then, it was the richest who got richer, and the others –"

"Went out to the Rim," Mal finished, tossing the coin onto the table where Kaylee picked it up.

"And I remember the Hoard now," Freya put in slowly, quietly. "My father ... at least I think it was him ... saying something to the effect that if the authorities hadn't let it out of their sight it would all have been sold anyway."

"Maybe it would, but it seems we've got a little piece of it here," the young mechanic commented.

"That little piece, as you call it … if it is from the Hoard, it's priceless. You could buy a dozen Fireflys with what you have in your hand, and still have change for a small moon of your choice." He smiled as Kaylee dropped it quickly, as if it was too hot to handle.

"And there's more where this came from?" Zoe asked.

"If the Hoard is intact, its cultural significance is tremendous. Even a portion of it could -"

Mal couldn't take any more of the young man's enthusiasm. "But we don't know where."

"No. It's entirely possible it was broken up, melted down – at least where the coins and other jewellery are concerned – and that these may be the last two. Or maybe it's all still out there, waiting."

Freya glanced at Jayne. "And you've no idea where it came from."

"Not a one, Frey," the big man insisted.

"I could always hypnotise you," Hank offered suddenly. He grinned as all eyes flicked to him. "No, really, I mean it. Someone on a ship I used to work on knew how, and they showed me."

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't wanna end up barking like a dog," Jayne growled.

Hank clutched a hand to his chest. "Now, would I do that?" He sounded almost hurt.

"Yeah."

The pilot grinned wider. "Well, it was worth a shot."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Simon said slowly. "Hypnosis might let us regress you, and you'd be able to remember where you got the coin."

"Ain't barking like a dog for you either." Jayne crossed his arms, letting his biceps bulge menacingly.

"Unlike some people, I wouldn't do that."

"No, but maybe you'd plant something in my brain. I seen some of those shows on the Cortex. Man seems perfectly fine until someone says something like ... like _blue banana_, and he suddenly starts wearing women's clothes and putting on make-up." The biceps tightened. "Not happening."

"Blue banana?" Hank began, but Zoe shushed him before he could lose any teeth.

River put one slim hand on his arm. "I wouldn't let him implant any post hypnotic suggestions."

He gazed at her. "You think this is a good idea?"

"It might help."

"Moonbrain ..."

"I will be there."

Jayne looked at Simon again. "You sure you could do this?"

"We learned how at MedAcad. It's quite simple, really."

"Have to be," Hank murmured, but Jayne was too preoccupied to notice.

"I don't wanna have to order you, but I think maybe the doc has the right of it," Mal said firmly. "And if those coins are from this Hoard, could be there's a sizeable fortune waiting someplace for some deeply needy people to find it."

Jayne's eyes glittered. "How sizeable?"

"Beyond the dreams of avarice," Simon murmured.

"Huh?"

"Enough so none of us'd have to work a day ever again," Mal interpreted. "Probably terraform our own planet."

They could all see self-preservation warring with greed on Jayne's face, until River spoke softly. "I could go into your dreams and look, but I might see something you don't want me to."

A dozen such possibilities launched themselves across his mind, and another thousand were queuing up to take their place. "Uh ..." He cleared his throat. "Okay. I s'pose I'd better ..." He jabbed his finger at Simon. "But you make me bark like a dog and we'll be having words."

Hank muttered something that could have been 'woof', but winced as Zoe's heel connected with his shin.

"Good." Simon stood up. "We certainly don't need everyone to watch, so I suggest we do this in your shuttle."

"Uh, sure." The big man couldn't have looked more unhappy about the turn of events, but he stood up. "You need to … bring anything?"

"No. Just go and wait for me."

"Okay." Jayne strode out, River following a moment later.

"You think you can do this?" Mal asked.

"It really is simple, as I said," Simon assured him.

"Good. 'Cause we really need to know where Jayne got it."

* * *

"What the hell's that?" Jayne was sitting in the chair, but was out of it and scuttling back a pace before he remembered he was a big, bad mercenary, and more than capable of tearing Simon apart with his bare hands.

The young doctor looked down at the machine in his hands. "It's a brain wave reader. It will help me to know when you're in the best meditative state to remember."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. Now sit back down."

"Ain't gonna hurt, is it?"

"No." He held out the electrodes. "They stick to your skin, that's all."

"Well, okay." He lowered himself back into the seat and let Simon stick the small circular pads onto his temples. "Now what?"

"You give me a moment to calibrate the machine …" The young man looked around the small shuttle, but there didn't appear to be anywhere else to sit apart from the bed. And considering what his sister and her husband probably did on it …

Jayne chuckled. "Doc, you sit here. I'll make myself comfy on the bunk."

"Thank you."

Pushing himself back until he was leaning on the bulkhead, Jayne watched Simon adjusting the tiny dials. "Ready?"

"Ready." Simon looked up, then at Jayne's hands. "You do need to relax a little more."

Jayne glanced down. He'd made fists without knowing it. "Oh, yeah, sorry 'bout that." He uncurled his fingers, laying his palms flat on his thighs. "Okay."

"Good." Simon took a deep breath. "Now, close your eyes."

"Okay." He dropped his eyelids, but immediately opened them again. "You just remember what I said about dogs."

Simon sighed. "I promise, on the Hippocratic Oath, that I won't implant any post-hypnotic suggestions."

Jayne glanced at River, who nodded encouragingly, then he leaned back. "Go on then."

"I want you to breathe in and out evenly, deeply, each breath taking longer and longer to leave your lungs. As you breathe, I want you to see yourself getting more relaxed. There is a bucket at your feet. All your tensions are going to flow from you into that bucket, and you're going to … what?"

Jayne was sniggering. "Bucket?" he asked, lifting one eyelid to gaze at the young doctor.

"You're not trying."

"Sorry." He didn't sound it, though. "It's just … bucket?"

"I can't help you if you don't try."

River sighed and moved forward. "Jayne, close your eyes."

"Aw, hell, moonbrain, I was just having some fun with –"

"Jayne."

"Fine." He did as he was told and settled his head more comfortably.

She sank to the ground in front of him. "Listen to my voice. And only my voice. You will not hear anyone else from this point." She glared at Simon a moment then turned back to her husband. "You are in the orchard on Lazarus. It's a warm day and the sun is shining. You've set up targets at increasing distances from you. You have Betsey in your hands. Can you feel her?"

Jayne nodded, a half smile on his lips. "She's good gun."

"She's full loaded, and you take aim at the first target. When I say so, you will fire at the first target, knowing that the bullet is going to be dead centre. Then you will fire at the second, then the third, and each time you fire you will feel more relaxed. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

"Then fire."

Simon stared at his sister, then at Jayne. There was no outward sign beyond a slight drooping of his shoulders, but he'd never seen the big man so relaxed, not even on the operating table. That was unconsciousness – this was … something else.

River continued to talk, her quiet voice almost sending her brother to sleep, but finally she half-turned and looked at him over her shoulder. "He's under."

"How did you …" He glanced down at the wave reader in his hands, and swallowed. She was right.

"You know how, so I do."

"River –"

"I just thought it might be easier to hear my voice. Since we are married." She stroked the tattoo around her third finger.

"You mean since he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you."

"No?"

"He doesn't hate you," she repeated, arranging her dress around her knees. "You're my brother. How could he?"

"Really easily." He leaned forward in the chair. "Do you know what to do next?"

She nodded and turned back to Jayne. "Can you still hear me? You can talk."

Jayne mumbled his lips a moment, then said clearly, "Yeah."

"I'm going to ask you some questions. They are easy questions, and you will answer them straight away."

"Yeah."

"You can see the box you gave Bethie. It is in your hands. When did you last see it?"

"When I handed it to her."

"When did you last see it before that?"

"January 15th."

"How old were you?"

"Fifteen."

River stirred, and Simon wondered what she was feeling.

She went on. "What was inside?" As Jayne's brow furrowed, she went on quickly, "You are fifteen, Jayne. You are opening the box. What do you see?"

Jayne smiled, looking like a young man. "The necklace I bought Meg for her birthday. It's not for a coupla weeks, but I know she's gonna like it. Might even get me a feel if I'm lucky."

Simon grimaced. Maybe he wasn't that much different.

River didn't seem to have noticed. "What else?"

"A seashell. Found it up in the hills. Ma said that must mean there'd been an ocean there once, but I don't see how. Maybe someone dropped it."

"What else?"

"My Bible."

This time Simon jerked. He had never even considered that Jayne would own such a thing, let alone admit to it, not even under hypnosis.

"Your mother gave it to you," River said, more for her brother's sake than anything else.

"Yeah. Me and Matty both. When we were christened."

"What else?"

"Coupla pebbles. Reminded me of the night sky, stars thrown across it."

River's lips curved. She knew her Jayne had a deeply sentimental streak in him, even if she also knew Simon's jaw had just about hit the floor without even looking. "What else?"

"A flower. From Rosie's wreath. And the bracelet I made for her." His voice caught, his shoulders tightening visibly.

"It's all right, Jayne," River said softly. "You can remember, but it won't hurt."

He relaxed again. "Never got the chance to give it to her."

"River?" Simon asked, barely vocalising.

"His baby sister. She died a few days after she was born. Too early."

"Oh."

River gazed at her husband. "What else?"

"The old coin."

Simon sat up straighter.

"Look at the coin, Jayne. Where did you get it?"

"Found it."

"Where?"

"Shouldn't've. Ma would be mad if she knew I'd gone there. But it wasn't that far from where Dad was hunting rabbits, and he said I had to be good and stay away from him 'til he was ready." He began to fidget.

"He's resisting," Simon murmured. "Try a different way."

River nodded. "How old are you, Jayne? You've just found the coin. It's so pretty. It shines. It's in your hand. How old are you?"

"Nine."

"Where did you find it?"

"In the dirt."

"Why don't you pick it up? Hold it up. See how the light sparkles on it." She paused for a moment. "Where are you?"

His face screwed up a little, and he looked like the little boy he had been, but his voice was clear enough. "_Huo Yan Shan_."


	12. Chapter 12

"_Huo Yan Shan_."

"Where in the sphincter of hell is that?" Mal turned in the pilot's seat where he'd been alone, taking a last look at Serenity's readouts before heading for his bunk, and stared at the young psychic standing in the bridge doorway.

"It isn't in the sphincter of hell, Captain," River said, just a hint of disapproval in her tone as she combed her long hair with her fingers. It was some kind of displacement activity, and Mal wondered what the rest of her brain was thinking about. "Logically there can be no such place, since Hell doesn't have a –"

"River."

"And you shouldn't swear. Not with children on board."

Mal smiled slightly. "I have the feeling they know a lot worse than that already."

"Don't feel proud." She found a knot and frowned deeply at it.

"You wanna tell me about this _Huo Yan_ place?" Mal prompted.

She let her hands drop. "It's a very large rock formation some distance from town. It means –"

"I conjure I know what it means. Mountain of Flames or some such."

"That's where Jayne found the coin."

"He wasn't any more precise?"

"It was a small cave. He didn't go in very far – it was dark and cold."

Mal chuckled. "You mean he was scared."

Her glare was almost hot enough to melt carbonised steel. "He was nine."

"Then I'll let him off. 'Though I always figured Jayne came fully-formed outta someone's skull."

River shook her head, at the same time appreciating the classical reference. "He's not a Greek god." She paused. "Although –"

"You just stop right there. And it was a goddess, if I recall correctly. But seeing as Jayne is a girl's –"

"Don't. Otherwise I'd be forced to hurt you."

He grinned. "Nah. Not my albatross." He swivelled back to the console. "So where'd you head off to after leaving Jolene's? Zoe said something about you having something to do."

She wafted up behind him. "I was visiting."

Mal didn't look up. "Jayne's ma?"

"I took flowers."

"That's nice."

"I'll go back again before we leave. Take Caleb."

"I'm sure he'd like that." Mal flicked an idle switch. "Is he coping okay? Jayne. I mean, he ain't been back, not since the funeral."

"He's all right. We help each other."

Now he glanced into her pale face. "Yeah, I figure you do."

Placing her hand gently on his shoulder, she looked out through the windows at the night, warm golden glows lighting the houses out beyond the port area itself. "I didn't realise it had taken so long to hypnotise Jayne."

"Wasn't that long," Mal admitted. "It got dark an hour or so ago, and everyone seemed to like the idea of an early bedtime, given the activity of the past few days. 'Sides, it's not like we can do anything tonight, and I ain't that keen on treasure hunting when I can't see a gorram thing."

"Are we going treasure hunting?" she asked ingenuously.

He smiled. "Now you know exactly what I'm planning on doing."

"Not reading you."

"No. But you know me."

"Perhaps." She stepped over to the window, peering out into the night. "There is badness here. It isn't safe."

"X_iao nu_, that you being crazy, or might you have some real reason for saying that?"

She turned to look at him, and for a moment he felt his whole being spread out in front of her, just waiting for her to consume. Probably with chopsticks.

Her nose wrinkled. "You have bad thoughts."

He couldn't help laughing slightly. "I thought you weren't peeking."

"Maybe a little."

"And you shouldn't make an old man feel quite so …"

"Naked?"

"Stop that, 'fore I put you over my knee."

She settled into the co-pilot's seat. "We have never felt that way about each other," she said idly. "Not even when I came out of the box."

"If you're trying to make me blush …"

She shrugged, but a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Prude."

"Brat."

She sighed happily, until her mind skittered back to the matter in hand. "We should leave things well alone."

He turned the chair to face her. "I take it you mean the Hoard."

River nodded. "It's been hidden a long time. Let sleeping dogs lie."

"That's one of Frey's favourite sayings," Mal commented.

"It's accurate."

"We could do with the cash."

Her dark eyes bored into his. "You turned down the Rostov money."

He bridled a little, but only out of habit. "That ain't nothing to do with you. And I don't doubt it would've come with strings."

She sighed. "Probably."

"Ain't making Frey feel beholden to 'em, no matter Alex is family." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "Look, River … do you really think there might be something gonna go wrong?"

"Perhaps."

"That's not exactly a certainty."

"Nothing ever is. Apart from death."

He was instantly more alert. "You thinking it might come to that?"

"Eventually it always does. That's why it's a certainty."

He withheld his own sigh, barely, wondering if the young woman next to him was pregnant again, or just having a bad day. Or, more likely, she was just enjoying winding her Captain up. "Maybe I should ask Frey."

"Mother will be worried about you as she always is, and that will colour her judgement." She stretched out her legs and rested her heels on the console, careful not to disturb any of the switches.

"She's not your mother, River."

"In another life …"

Mal's eyebrows raised. "You mean …"

"Many centuries ago Jayne was a warrior, and I his bride. Simon learned his craft at the feet of Galen, while Kaylee kept his house and gave him many children. You were in the first wave of settlers into the old West, Freya your wife, I your daughter. We fought off raiders together." She smiled, staring out through the window.

"You're just making this up."

"Perhaps."

"Okay, I'll play. What about Zoe? She always thought Wash was her soul mate, only now she's got Hank. How does that fit in with your little game?"

"Mormons."

Mal laughed, a deep rich sound that warmed her through. "Darlin', you might be crazy still, but I love your imagination sometimes."

"We all fit," she said, standing up silently, her dress moving gently around her as if she was standing in a slight breeze. "Here, in this place. Meant to be. And I see trouble if we go after the treasure." She sighed again, deeper this time. "Unfortunately, Jayne will go one way or the other, so we have to go too, keep him safe."

"Maybe you know that man better'n any of us," Mal commented. "Figured he might have that gold fever, considering the expression on his face. And although looking after him isn't exactly the reason we're going hunting, I figure we can do that as well."

"Good." She leaned down and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Thank you."

"What for? I didn't exactly agree we were in danger."

"You listened. And forewarned is forearmed. Another of Freya's favourites." She ran off the bridge, her hair flying behind her, singing something about a bottle of rum.

"You really are spending too much time with my wife!" he called after her.

* * *

As Mal opened up the cargo bay to Ezra's morning, he was surprised to see Dan Jefferson waiting. "You been here long?" he asked, walking down the ramp.

"Few minutes." The sheriff was half-smiling, his thumbs caught in the ubiquitous gunbelt.

"Anything specific you want, or just planning on passing the time of day?"

"Maybe I was just walking in this direction and thought I'd join you for breakfast."

Mal found himself mirroring the other man's stance. "Somehow, I doubt you 'just' do anything."

"Maybe so."

"Anyway, we've finished eating, but I could probably find you a cup of coffee if you wanted."

Dan shook his head. "Nope. I'm fine. Although you're up pretty early to be done already."

"Things to do."

"Oh? Like what?"

Mal made sure his face was open, friendly. "Nothing to be worrying the law about. Just the usual. Getting in supplies, making sure we ain't gonna come fallin' out the sky when we take off, that kinda thing."

"Right." Dan studied him for a moment, then said, "I checked the Alliance alerts." He noticed Mal's sudden tension but didn't comment on it. "Turns out Ephraim Ingleby's been missing for more'n three months. It was kinda hazy, but reading between the lines whoever posted it wasn't that fussed about finding him. I get the feeling he was something of a thorn in someone's side."

"Enough to get rid of him?"

"I doubt it. And not like that, anyway. It reads like he was pretty determined to get rid of himself. He took a leave of absence from the Museum, which no-one minded much, as he was within a hair's breadth of being fired anyway. Apparently he was off his meds, and kept going on about having found the location to something."

"Location?"

Dan shrugged. "He wasn't any more forthcoming, just that it would be the greatest discovery in the history of the Alliance."

"He sounds pretty crazy."

"I think he was. Only reason he got that job was 'cause of his family connections, and most of them're dead now anyway."

"So's he." Mal's lips twitched. "Seems like that's a fair amount more info than you'd normally get, just reading an alert."

"Well, maybe I was curious enough to wave the Museum direct, and I happened to get someone who didn't like him much and didn't mind talking." He glanced towards the horizon. "The ... uh … Alliance are coming to claim his corpse, by the way."

The half-smile died and Mal dropped one hand to the butt of his gun. "When?"

Jefferson didn't take offence. "I didn't have a choice but to notify them. Thing is, seems like there ain't a ship local enough at the moment, so it looks like next week some time."

"That's awkward." Mal hitched his thumb into his suspenders again. "I mean, for them. Having to come all this way just to pick up a dead body."

"Pritchard, the undertaker … he's happy enough to keep Ingleby in cold storage, since he's thinking someone's gonna pay him for the privilege, but the sooner the corpse is gone, the better."

"Just so long as he don't stink up the place."

"If he does Pritchard'll just double his costs."

"Mal, you wanna take the shuttle or …" Jayne stopped, seeing who was keeping the Captain company.

"Shuttle?" Dan looked at Mal. "Not thinking of doing a little prospecting yourself, are you?" he asked astutely.

"Would that be illegal?" Serenity's captain asked in turn.

"Maybe. Depends on where." Dan settled his shoulders. "And it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a permit."

"Did Ingleby?"

"Nope. I got the forms for 'em, and he never came near me. So anything he found he wouldn't've been able to sell, and if we'd found it on him, the court would have confiscated it. We do have laws here, Captain Reynolds."

Mal sighed. "What's it gonna cost me?"

"Nominal fee. Ten credits. Then you're all above board and legal."

"Well, I admit we were considering going and taking a look around, see if we couldn't tell where the man had come from." Mal glanced at Jayne. "We'll be taking the mule, so get her ready. I'll go with the Sheriff and get the permit. Just in case."

Jayne dragged him to one side. "Don't you think it's a mite foolish telling the law what we're up to?"

"Don't you think it's gonna be a mite suspicious you doing this?" Mal countered, tugging his arm free. "And if we've got the right permits, anything we do find we're gonna have a better claim to. _Dong mah_?"

The big man thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. Guess you're right. I just wanna get out there and … you know."

Mal could almost see the money signs rolling over in his eyes. "I know." He turned back to Jefferson, asking, "You wanna do this now?"

"Give me five. I gotta head over to the Golden Dragon, give 'em one final warning." He nodded towards the Clipper sitting not too far from Serenity.

"They still creating trouble?"

"Will do until they leave, I reckon. But Terry still hasn't fixed their engine, so most of 'em've got nothing much to do except head into town and make a ruckus."

"I'd offer my own mechanic to help make it sooner, but she's kinda pregnant at the moment."

Dan shook his head. "With that crew, I ain't letting a lady get anywhere near 'em."

"I think I might just have to tell Kaylee you called her a lady. Probably make her day." Mal smiled. "Well, just give me a shout when you're ready. Or if you need back-up."

Dan grinned. "Might just take you up on that." He strolled towards the newer ship.

Mal waited until he was out of earshot before turning back to his gunhand. "Jayne, get the mule down and make sure she's fuelled up. And check we've got enough supplies in case we need to stay out tonight."

"Who's coming with us?"

"Frey, Simon and River. Hank's staying behind in case we do find anything and need the shuttle to cart it away, and Zoe volunteered to keep him company."

"You know what they'll be getting up to, soon as your back is turned."

"Long as it ain't on my bridge, I'm shiny with that." Still, a small shudder ran through his frame.

"Kinda surprised the doc's happy heading off into the desert. Although he could do with getting some colour into that lily-white skin."

"He insisted. The idea that he might be the one to discover something no-one's seen for a coupla hundred years has his juices going."

Jayne's face showed faint disgust. "That's just …"

"Yeah. Sorry about that." Mal shook himself. "Anyway, it's probably better to keep him and River out of the way of the sheriff for a while. I don't think he'd turn them in, if he knew who they were, but I don't feel like taking the risk."

"Me neither." Jayne pulled his work gloves from the pocket on his cargo pants. "I'll get the mule down," he said, heading back into the bay.

A look of mischievousness resembling his son's flashed across Mal's eyes, and he said, "Jayne, hang on there a sec."

The big man turned back with ill grace. "What?"

"Just wanted to say … blue banana."

The ex-mercenary glared at him, then hurried inside, leaving Mal smiling into the early morning.


	13. Chapter 13

"That's it." Dan Jefferson stamped the permit and handed it to Mal. "You are now an official prospector, and as long as you report any finds to this office, you're assured of ownership, so long as nobody else disputes it and says they found it first."

Mal thought of the man lying in Pritchard's freezer. If they did manage to figure out where he got the coin, did that mean Ephraim Ingleby's nearest and dearest had a claim on things? He decided not to ask, on the principle that he couldn't be told they did if he kept his mouth shut. Instead he tucked the paper into his breast pocket. "Thanks."

"And that map on the back'll tell you where you shouldn't be digging. If the urge takes you."

"I doubt we'll be going anywhere near the mines." From the glance he'd taken at the plan of the surrounding countryside, and River's description of the whereabouts of the cave where Jayne had found the coin, it was well off the beaten track.

"You heading straight out?"

"Pretty much. The wedding's on Saturday, and we want to be done well in time, otherwise the girls will string me up for not leaving 'em enough time to get ready."

Dan smiled. "Yeah, they're like that, ain't they?"

"Mine are. All of 'em, including the young ones. In fact, 'specially the young ones."

Dan perched on the corner of the desk. "How do you make it work?" he asked. "You know, being all together like you are, living in each other's space. How do you not argue all the time?"

"We argue." Mal knew the Sheriff was having a few home problems. "Sometimes we throw things. My wife's got a damn good arm, and our medic's had to patch me up before now. And the language my mechanic comes out with when she's mad at her nearest and dearest …" He shook his head. "Shocking."

"Your mechanic. That's the pretty pregnant one, right?"

"That's her."

"I wouldn't've thought swear words would have passed her lips."

"You should hear her when she's working on the engine. That and the banging. She does more good with a wrench than anyone I know. Calls it percussive maintenance."

"She sounds like a peach."

"She is."

"So how do you do it? Survive?" He saw Mal shuffle his feet a little and mistook it for embarrassment. "Sorry. I shouldn't be asking this. I don't even know you."

"It's okay. Just wondering if there's a way to explain that you'd understand."

"I'm not stupid."

"No. But you live dirtside, with a whole town around you. It's different for us."

"I figured that. Just wondered if you had a magic secret."

"Yeah. Don't go to bed mad."

"That's it?"

"Pretty much. I'm assuming you love your wife –"

"That's a given."

"And you ain't cheatin'."

"She thinks I am, but truth is, no, I ain't. And in a town like this, someone'd find out if I took it into my head to try."

"Would you?"

"No. You're right. I love Deirdra, in all her moods."

"Then that's basically it. I could say talk to her, sit her down and try and explain, but … You thought of counselling?"

"Again, in a town like this?"

"No, maybe not," Mal conceded. "So you make do with what you can, or you get out."

"You mean leave her."

"Someone once told me marriage is hard work. Admittedly, she was a con artist, but still … even the best of them take maintenance, percussive or otherwise. It's an effort to understand women, and just as much for them to understand us. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't. It's up to you how much exertion you put into it."

"You put a lot into yours," Dan said, seeing the softness in the other man's eyes when he spoke of his wife.

"I'd die for her." He said it quite easily, normally, as if it was something so obvious it didn't need to be stated.

"Yeah." Dan took a deep breath. "Well, you'd better be getting back to her, and I've got work to get on with myself."

"Imagine you have."

Dan stood up, started to move to the door, but something obviously occurred to him, because he stopped and gazed at Mal. "Look," he began, somewhat diffidently. "I know Jayne's from around here, and he knows something about our desert, but things happen out there. Stories have been handed down through the generations of fire from the sky, explosions, the landscape changing overnight. Just stories, but … people die out there every year, and some of 'em've lived here all their lives. It's a dangerous place."

Mal smiled. "Anyone'd think you were concerned for our safety."

"Well, you know, I hate filling out paperwork," Dan said, chuckling. Then he was serious again. "I mean it, though. You be careful. Hate to be dragging your sorry corpses into town and arranging for the funerals. It'd surely put a crimp in Matty and Jolene's big day."

"Wouldn't do that much for mine," Mal muttered.

* * *

"Why can't I go?" Bethie whined, picking at the paint around the doorway to the engine room.

"Because you can't." Kaylee was staring at something under the main console, lying on her back so it looked like she consisted of nothing much more than a pair of legs and a swelling belly.

"But it's pirates."

"That don't matter. It's not something little girls get to do. Least, not yet."

"When?"

Kaylee adjusted one of the diode boards minutely, then tapped another, causing a small rain of dust to fall onto her chest. "Try it now, Hank," she shouted.

There was a moment, then the pilot's voice came over the com. _"That's it. Thanks, Kaylee."_

"No problem." Even though he couldn't see, she grinned and pulled herself out.

"When, Momma?" Bethie said again.

Kaylee looked at her daughter, at the knee-length shorts she'd put on today, and the t-shirt that announced to the world that she was Daddy's Princess. She was doing the foot roll, as was her habit when she was trying to get her own way, and flecks of paint were sifting from her questing fingernails. "Honey, stop doing that and come over here." Kaylee held out her arm.

Bethie sighed dramatically, but crossed the warm, red room and allowed herself to be pulled down to sit on her mother's thigh. "I wanna go," she said quietly, blinking hard.

Kaylee tried not to smile. "I know, sweetie. But they're going on the mule, and you know it only holds five."

"I'm small," Bethie pointed out. "I wouldn't weigh it down much."

Brushing her hair from her forehead, Kaylee said, "I know. And I know how much you like pirates, and treasure –"

"It was my coin. Uncle Jayne gave me the box, and it was inside, so it's mine."

"Can't argue with that," Hank said, leaning on the bulkhead by the door. He reached inside and switched off the com.

"Sorry." Kaylee shrugged. "Not quite got up yet."

"That's okay." He stepped inside and went down onto his heels next to Bethie. "You know," he said, touching her hand with one of his fingers, "I ain't going either. And considering it was my idea to hypnotise Jayne, I find that … insulting."

Simon appeared, looking slightly less well put together than usual. He'd finally decided on a pair of jeans Kaylee had bought him in an ill-advised shopping expedition, and a loose shirt, rolled up at the elbows. From the boots on his feet to a hat he'd found somewhere, its wide brim overshadowing his face, he was every bit the cowboy. Apart from the pale skin and the medical bag in his hand.

"Honey, you look _swai_," Kaylee said, grinning at him.

"I feel like an idiot." He looked down at himself. "Like a cut-price version of Jayne."

"Who knows," Hank said, grinning as he headed back for the bridge. "Maybe your real Pa was a Cobb."

Simon's eyes widened as he tried to think of something suitably pithy to say, but only managing to flap his mouth like a fish.

* * *

Down in the cargo hold the mule was already hovering off the bay floor, the anti-grav thrusters keeping it airborne.

"Did you tell Matty where you were going?" Freya asked, settling herself into the front seat, River behind her.

Jayne closed the weapons compartment behind him and sat down next to his wife. "Waved him at the store. I didn't go into any detail, just that we were heading out into the desert for a while. Sightseeing."

"And he believed you?"

"Nah." Jayne grinned. "I reckon he read between the lines okay."

"He didn't ask to come?"

"He did, I said no."

"Why not?"

"'Cause this is where he lives. Has to, after we've gone n'all. Ain't getting him mixed up in anything might mean problems once we've left."

"That's very considerate, Jayne."

"Just being sensible."

River snaked her arm through his. "My Jayne," she murmured.

Mal came out onto the catwalk above, Zoe right behind him. "Not anticipating any trouble," he was saying, "but you know how these things can turn out."

"We'll be listening, sir."

"Long as that's all you're doing on my bridge." He looked at the mule's occupants as he descended the stairs. "Where's Simon?"

"Here," the man himself said, heading out of the common area doorway. He tapped his medical bag. "Just wanted to make sure I had enough supplies with me. In case of accidents."

"Then it looks like we're ready to go. Climb aboard, doc."

Simon pulled himself up onto the running board, then realised the spare seat was the other side. A hint of annoyance must have shown on his face, because Jayne chuckled and moved across, River following him so the young man could sit down. "Thanks."

"No probs." Jayne grinned. "Have to say, you're looking mighty stylish today."

"I'm what?"

River smiled. "He means you're looking nice."

"I know what … I just …" Simon looked down at his clothes. "Never mind."

Mal felt his lips twitch as he climbed into the driver's seat, then looked down at Zoe. "Why do I feel like I'm taking a whole bunch of kids out on a field trip?"

"Not sure, sir. Experience?"

"Ah. That'll be it." He settled his hands on the steering yoke. "Okay, people. No fighting, no spitting, no swearing. And keep your hands off each other at all times."

River giggled, but Jayne just sighed heavily.

Freya shook her head. "Mal, just …"

"Shiny." He put the vehicle into gear and the mule moved smoothly out of the cargo bay, turning right towards the edge of town.

Zoe waited for the dust to settle, then strolled into the sunlight, glancing just once at the Golden Dragon skulking next to them. Something was tickling her senses, but there didn't appear to be anyone in sight. She shrugged and headed back inside, closing the ramp up behind her, not seeing the man in the shadow of the Port Control building speaking into a sleek comlink.

* * *

Aiden Lau flushed the toilet then looked at himself in the mirror over the sink. His hair, jet-black like the rest of his family, hung straight over his forehead, but it didn't hide the lines between his eyebrows. He was angry, and it was beginning to show on his face.

Splashing water over his fingers, he told himself he had to stay calm, that it wasn't going to last forever. Chester might be in charge, but that was only due to an accident of birth making him the oldest. Their father should have drowned him the moment he came crying, but he hadn't, and instead made him the heir to the whole shebang.

Okay, he'd been lucky in a business sense, and their bank accounts had grown fat – well, they would have if any of them trusted banks. Chester believed in investing, and now the Laus owned pretty much all of their home moon, and sizeable chunks of several others. In the process he'd been accused, quite accurately, of some very unsavoury practices, but since there was never anyone around who would testify …

Not that it did them any good, of course. Chester made sure of that. He handed out cash like it was pocket money, and that was just another bit of grit in the oil lubricating Aiden's own personal wheels of life. What was the point in being rich if someone else held that tightly to the purse strings? And Chester baulked at taking the really big risks. The ones which would pay so much they could roll in credits.

He dried his hands. Now, if he'd been in charge, things would be different. He'd have made a much better leader, doing jobs all over this sector, and making sure people quaked when they heard the name Lau. He smiled, his reflection copying him. Aiden Lau, though, not Chester. _He'd_ never have let that judge walk all over him like that.

Four thousand credits … and Chester was insisting it came out of his cut! That wasn't right. It wasn't even as if he'd started the fight. That was all down to that crew from the crappy Firefly next door, although that _si gui_ Berg had had something to do with it. Couldn't keep it in his pants without causing hassle, then trying to grab a freebie. His reflection grimaced with him. And with one of the bar girls too. No telling what kind of diseases they had. At least Berg wasn't going to be worrying about that for a while, though, since he was going to take some time to heal. Aiden glanced down at the grazes on his knuckles, and flexed his fingers, his lips twitching at the memory. That hole in his hand was the least of Berg's worries.

But then having that no-account Sheriff come round, say they had to behave or they'd all be bound. One shot. Just one shot, that's all that was needed, and they could have taken this town. But no. Chester wanted to play nice. Or as nice as he got, anyway. Telling the crew what to do, and including Jarrett and himself.

Still, he had his plans.

There was a knock on the door. "Aiden? You in there?"

He flung it open. "What?"

His brother Jarrett was standing there. "Riley's just called. They're on the move."

Aiden Lau smiled.

* * *

"Never knew you got travel sick, doc." Mal had his thumbs hitched in his gunbelt as he stood watching the young man disappear behind a convenient bush. From the sounds emanating it was pretty clear he wasn't going to get an answer immediately.

River climbed elegantly from the mule and stood beside him, a bottle of water in one hand. "He used to do this when he was young. Father got annoyed one trip to the mountains." She smiled. "We had to stop every half an hour."

"Well, it don't appear he's grown out of it."

"Perhaps he has an inner ear imbalance," Freya suggested, rubbing more sunblock over her arms and neck and taking Mal's mind somewhat from the matter in hand. "That could explain why he hates being weightless, too."

River considered for a moment, then said, "I'll make him check when we get back." She walked forwards as Simon finally stood up.

Jayne was scouting the area, chuckling slightly at the doctor's discomfort, then dropped to his heels with a surprised grunt.

"You got something?" Mal asked, strolling over, anything to stop imagining massaging the sun cream into Freya's skin himself.

"Tracks." The big man waited until Mal reached him, then lifted a broken twig. "The wind ain't got to it." Underneath was the imprint of a boot, or at least the heel and outside edge.

"You sure it's his?"

Jayne nodded. "He was wearing Sukis. Expensive. Supposed to be made by half-naked girls under palm trees."

"That's just the Cortex advert."

"Still, kinda fancied a pair myself."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Anyway, it ain't likely anyone else on this dump's gonna be able to afford the coupla thousand credits they cost."

"This is your home, Jayne. And that much?"

"Just 'cause you don't spend more'n you have to on clothes, don't mean other folks do the same."

"This from you, a picture of sartorial elegance."

"If you're waiting for me to say 'huh', you're gonna be burned to a crisp from the sun 'fore I do." He stood up, adjusting his hat. "And I may've been born here, but it ain't my home."

Before Mal could comment, he heard Simon.

"Thank you, _mei-mei_," the young man said, handing the water back before wiping his mouth with a handkerchief from his pocket. "And I don't have an inner ear imbalance. It's just that tea of Kaylee's mother's doesn't exactly sit well on the stomach sometimes."

"You still drinking it?" Mal asked, faintly surprised. "Especially since I got the notion Kaylee's already knocked up. Unless it's gas."

Simon didn't rise to the mocking tone. "I'm … testing it. After the concoction River made up for the morning sickness –"

"It wasn't a concoction!"

He ignored his sister. "After that worked, I began to wonder why. I drew some of my own blood yesterday, and I'm going to compare it in a few days time, see if the tea actually does something. If it really has an effect on my DNA, that could be a medical breakthrough in the treatment of any number of genetic diseases."

Freya leaned over the side of the mule, resting her chin on her forearms. "Have you told Kaylee what you're doing?"

"Not yet."

"Then I suggest you don't. As far as she's concerned what her mother does is only a little short of magic, and I don't think she'd take too kindly to you analysing everything."

Mal nodded. "Frey's right. Kaylee's likely to take offence at you for not just having faith."

"But I'm a doctor, a scientist –" He stopped as River put her hand on his arm.

"Kaylee believes," she said quietly. "That's the important part."

Simon looked into his sister's dark eyes, seeing a moment of sanity gazing back. "I suppose you're right," he admitted slowly. "But I intend carrying on with the tests, at least of the tea. And if she asks I will tell her."

"Doc, that's up to you. And you can use one of the guest rooms when she kicks you out of her bed." Mal suppressed a smile at the mixed emotions crossing Simon's face, then deliberately turned away. "How far, do you figure?" he asked Jayne, nodding towards the outcrop still some distance away.

The big man thought for a moment, then said, "Maybe an hour. Not much more."

"An hour?" Mal was surprised.

Jayne shrugged. "Perspective's all wrong out here, something to do with the light. And it's bigger'n you think."

Mal stared at the upthrusting rocks, striated and worn by the wind. "Then we'd better get moving again."

"Least we know we're going in the right direction," the ex-mercenary said. "Not just pissing in the breeze."

"You have an artist's way of putting things," Simon said, climbing back on board. He looked at his sister, expecting her to make some comment, but she was staring behind them. "_Mei-mei_? Is everything all right?"

She wasn't blinking. "I don't know."

"Do you think someone's following us?" Mal asked, trying to see into the bright light himself.

"I … it might just be an animal."

"But you're not sure."

"No."

Mal pulled the com from his pocket. "Hank, you there?"

"_Where else would I be?"_

"Any signs of trouble back there?"

"_Not that I'm aware. Why?"_

"Just … keep the engine warmed over. And tell Zoe to stay armed."

"_Mal, if you think there's going to be a problem, maybe we should come out there anyway."_

Mal looked at Freya, who shook her head. "There's … something, but it might be an animal, like River says."

"There's some pretty big cats out here," Jayne supplied. "Could be one of 'em keeping an eye on us, seeing if we're tasty enough to consider attacking."

"Then we won't be wasting any more time. Doc, you feel like you're gonna throw up again, you're gonna have to do it on the move." He spoke into the com. "Just don't go any place, _dong mah_?"

"_You got it, Mal."_"Chester?"

* * *

The eldest Lau made another notation in the ledger. "What is it? I'm busy."

The door opened and one of the crew peered nervously through the opening. "It's Aiden."

He looked up, a sigh rolling up from his boots. "What's that prick done now?"

"Not what he's done, but what he's going to do." The crewman gave an uncertain laugh.

Chester Lau closed his eyes in irritation.

* * *

"Dan." The deputy sheriff stuck his head in the doorway. "You wanted me to keep an eye on the Golden Dragon crew?"

"That I did."

"Well, looks like they're taking a small excursion."

Dan Jefferson felt something crawl up his spine. "Where?"

"Into the desert." The deputy shook his head. "Thing is, they weren't the first. 'Bout twenty minutes before that five other fellers took off on horses they hired from Bailey's."

"Gorramit." The Sheriff stood up, taking his gunbelt off the hook on the wall and buckling it around his hips. "Come on. We'd better find out what they're up to." _And if it has something to do with Captain Reynolds and his crew_, he added silently to himself.


	14. Chapter 14

Jayne had been right. In a little over an hour Mal parked the Mule under the towering rocks known as _Huo Yan Shan_, or the Mountain of Flames.

"You think they were just being poetical on account of its shape, or is there more to it?" he asked, staring up at the heights as Jayne scouted around. It did look something like a fire, he considered, if he squinted and put his head on one side. Something massive must have hit here, or there was intense seismic activity at some time in the past, maybe during terraforming, but whatever it was had pushed huge plates of base rock up into the sky, where the incessant wind had scoured the softer elements from it, leaving splinter points all along the edges.

"Probably a touch of both," Freya said, bending down and picking up a scrap of something sharp, the hard shine catching her eye in the sun. "Obsidian," she added, running her thumb across it, feeling the edge scraping at her skin. "It only gets created in very high temperatures."

"Volcanic eruptions," River supplied. "Polymerized lava," she went on. "No crystal growth."

"Right," Mal said, as if he'd understood every word.

"Actually, River's right," Simon put in. "And because of the way it's formed obsidian has been used to make scalpel blades of almost molecular thickness."

"Just what I needed to know."

Freya smiled, tossing the chip towards the doctor. "Present for you then, Simon."

The young man let it fall to the ground before picking it up, as always wary of damaging the fingers that so often had to dig bullets out of the crew. "Thank you so much," he said witheringly.

Mal's lips twitched. "If you don't want it, I'm sure Bethie'll take it off your hands for you."

Simon shook his head, well aware of the magpie-ish collecting tendencies of his eldest daughter. "Please, don't encourage her."

"I don't think she needs any encouragement."

"Mal." Jayne had reappeared and was pointing towards the base of the rock formation.

"Cave?" Mal asked, looking at Freya.

"Cave," she confirmed, walking towards the ex-mercenary and brushing Ezra's dust off her hands.

* * *

"What're they doing?" Aiden Lau asked, crouched behind a pile of sandstone blocks.

His brother was staring over the edge, looking through binoculars. "Looks like they're searching for something," Jarrett said slowly.

"Let me see." Aiden shifted up onto his knees and grabbed the viewers. Adjusting the focus slightly, he peered through. There was Reynolds, looking like he knew what he was doing, ranging to and fro, but it was the big man, the one they rather inappropriately called Jayne, who was covering the ground better. He was a born tracker, no matter he had weaponry slung about him.

The young woman with the long dark hair turned suddenly, as seemed to be staring right at him.

His heart missed a beat, and he was sure she could see him, but after the longest ten seconds of his life her eyes slid away, although he still felt like he was under her scrutiny.

"Aiden?" Jarrett said. "They see you? Aiden?"

"Uh … no. No, they didn't." He slid down, his back to the rock. "You're right. They're looking for something."

"You want to take them now?"

Something trickled down Aiden's back, and he shifted uncomfortably. She was just a young woman, not much more than a girl, really, but her steady dark gaze had unsettled him. "No. Not yet. Maybe we'll see what they're after. It might be worth something, make up for the hassle they put us through."

"You sure? I mean, there's more of us, and this is a good place to leave the bodies. No-one'd ever find them."

"I said we wait!" Aiden glared at his brother, taking out his insecurities on his sibling.

Jarrett held up his hands. "Fine. Whatever you say." He took the binoculars back and lifted his head out of their hiding place. "Whatever you say," he repeated quietly.

* * *

"This is it, Mal," Jayne said, the torch beam penetrating the darkness.

"That's what you said the last time. And the time before that. And the -"

"This is it," Jayne repeated. "I remember."

"Only, seems to me a few hours ago you were denying all knowledge."

The big man seemed to come over shy for a moment, and muttered something.

"What was that?" Mal asked.

"I said I scratched my name into the wall." He swung his flashlight and illuminated a patch of rock with thin letters inscribed. _Jayne_.

"Had nothing better to do?"

_Trees. Hearts. M4F_. Mal heard the words in his mind, and he felt the blush race up his chest to meet the gold cross around his neck. Freya was reminding him of his very own graffiti back on Lazarus.

_That … that weren't the same!_

_No?_ She smiled.

"I was nine, Mal," Jayne protested, unaware of any other conversation.

"Yeah, well, I guess that …" Mal coughed. "Anyway, this is where you found the coin?"

"Right here." He went down onto his heels next to a rock in the dirt on the floor.

"That's very specific," Simon said, heading towards the back of the cave.

"Yeah, well, since River did her … thing to help me, my memories've become a lot clearer. It was just lying there. Never even occurred to me there might be others. It was just … pretty. Didn't even know it was gold."

"Well, I can't see any more," the young doctor said. "And it looks like there was a cave-in back here. It's a dead end."

"Recent?"

"No." River walked out of the darkness. "A long time ago."

"Well, it's been a while since I was here," Jayne said, picking up the remains of a catapult, the rubber perished and dry.

"Longer than that."

"I take it that's yours?" Mal shone his torch on the catapult.

"Yeah. I made it." Jayne smiled. "Broke Old Man Atkins' window with it, and Ma took it away from me, tossed it in the garbage. But I found it, hid it, brought it with me when my Pa went hunting. I think I had an idea of using it to get a rabbit or two myself, but …" He stood up. "Long time ago." He took a breath. "Guess I left it here when I found the box."

Mal looked at him in surprise. "Are you talking about that chest you gave Bethie? The box came from here?"

"Yeah."

"And you didn't think to mention that little nugget of information before?"

"I didn't remember until I got hypnotised, and since then, well, nobody asked." He followed Simon towards the rear. "Maybe we can dig our way through?"

"I doubt it," the young doctor said, standing up from his examination.

"Besides, Ingleby didn't," Freya pointed out. "This place hasn't been disturbed in years, so there has to be another way in. To … whatever's inside."

They walked back into the sunlight, feeling it warm their already chilled skin as they skirted the perimeter of the mountain, and it wasn't long before Simon grunted and almost fell.

"You okay, doc?" Mal asked.

"I tripped on something." He leaned over and brushed the sand away from a backpack. A few moments work uncovered a sleeping bag and food box. "I think this is it," he said, looking up.

"It is," Freya said from a little further on.

The others joined her and peered into the darkness of something obviously manmade. There was a groan from deep in the mountain, and dust sifted down.

"It doesn't look any too safe," Simon commented.

"Then we don't dally." Mal said, and he tugged a torch from his belt. "You know, I really thought I'd done with wondering around tunnels," he added pointedly as the rest followed suit. "After Hera, I mean."

"Funny how things just keep coming around, ain't it?" Jayne said, heading into the gloom, the light beam bouncing in front of him.

* * *

Dan Jefferson sighed. As much as he'd tried to get to the Golden Dragon he'd been waylaid at every point. First his father, although a quick word had been enough to defer that conversation. Then a ranch hand who wanted to complain about his treatment at his place of work. He was deflected back towards the office and the official forms.

His wife wasn't put off that easily, though.

She'd accosted him as he rounded the corner, heading towards the Port, her face pink with anger.

"No, Deirdra," he said, holding up both hands. "No. Not now. I got work to do."

"Are you having an affair?" she demanded to know, her fists on her hips.

"Deirdra, can we talk about this later at home? Not in the middle of the street?" He glanced around, noticing several people he was all too acquainted with pausing in their perambulations, and turning towards him.

"Now, Dan."

He closed his eyes briefly then spoke to the deputy who was hanging back a pace, a wide grin plastered across his features. "Levi, get to the Golden Dragon. See if you can't get some info from any of their crew, and tell 'em I'll be along shortly to talk to the Laus."

"Sure thing, Dan." Levi chuckled under his breath then took off at a loping run.

Dan turned back to his wife. "Deirdra, I know you spend your life thinking of ways to embarrass me – and I gotta say you do it real well. But this ain't the time nor the place to be asking me questions like that."

She wasn't shifting. "All you gotta do is answer it."

"And if I do? You ain't gonna believe me. So what's the point?"

"Just tell me!" Her voice was raising higher and higher.

His temper finally snapped and he grabbed her arms, shaking her slightly. "No. I am not having an affair. I've never had an affair. As far as I'm concerned I never will have an affair. And it ain't because I've never been propositioned, 'cause I have. There are some women out there, Deirdra, who seem to think I'm a pretty nice guy, but for some unknown reason I've always said no. Actually, you know, it ain't unknown. I love you. Right now I don't exactly like you too much, but I love you. Now I got a job to do." He almost lifted her up and moved her out of his path. "I'll be sending someone for my things."

"Wha …" She couldn't get the words out. "What are you talking about? Your things?"

"If you don't trust me, then you can't want me around. So it's up to you." He looked around at the people still standing listening. "And I hope you got your money's worth, 'cause that's it." He strode off, leaving her staring at him.

"Daniel James Jefferson, you get your ass back here right now!" Deirdra screamed, but he took no notice, rounding the corner without even looking back.

As he neared the Golden Dragon, he could see Levi was talking to Terry, and the red-headed man was gesticulating towards the Clipper.

"Dan." The deputy looked at the approaching man. "I was about to knock when Terry here came out of the Dragon."

The Sheriff raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Terry grinned. "I just finished putting their engine back together again." At the look on Dan's face he added, "That was right, wasn't it? I mean, they paid the fine, so I didn't think you'd be wanting them hanging around."

"No, that's true." Dan exhaled heavily. "So they can leave when they want?"

"Any time. 'Though I'm thinking it won't be quite yet. Seems all three of the brothers Lau are on the ground at the moment."

"What?"

Levi was nodding. "That's the case, Dan. I grabbed a word with one of the crew they left behind. The three of 'em are gone."

Dan held onto his rapidly disappearing temper somewhat precariously. "You know where?"

"They didn't say. Except Aiden and Jarrett went first, and Chester followed on their hover mule, madder'n a wet bear."

"_Cao_."

"Why? What's up? Dan? Dan!" Levi took a step forward as they watched the other man turn and stride away, speeding up to a run towards the Firefly squatting a short distance away.

* * *

"I think there's something ahead," the big man said. "Let me take a look."

"No, that's -" Mal began, but Jayne had already loped ahead into the darkness, his shadow at his side. He rolled his eyes. "You think anyone's ever gonna obey orders?" he asked, turning to Freya.

"They do," she assured him. "Just … not that one."

"I am captain, though, ain't I? I mean, this isn't one of those narcotic illusions 'cause I'm lying on a table somewhere being operated on, is it?"

"It's possible." She ran her hand down his backside. "But unlikely."

"Uh … maybe you're right."

Simon studiously didn't look at either of them, just took a normal, healthy interest in the props holding up the roof.

"S'okay," Jayne called. "And you're gonna wanna take a look at this."

In only a moment they'd joined the big man and his wife, staring with wide eyes.

"_Run-tse duh fwo-tzoo_," Simon breathed.

"Have to say, doc, I think I agree with you."

The torches barely reached the far side of the cavern, but it wasn't what grabbed their attention. That honour belonged to the ship sitting in the centre, about twice the size of one of Serenity's shuttles. She was shaped like a flattened cigar, her engine housing visible at the rear in a cylinder, thick with dust. Her name, if she'd ever had one, had been burned or scraped off, but there was the pitted impression of a flag, showing stripes and stars.

"Damn," Mal murmured. "I think she's an original." He walked towards the craft.

"Original?" Simon's voice seemed to get lost in the silence, but everyone heard him.

"The Arc ships had shuttles, so they could transfer personnel, make repairs, that kinda thing," Mal explained, running his hands down the metal and feeling a multitude of scars. "Ms Gingrich showed us the official documentaries back when I was at school, and some of the not quite so official as well."

"So we have her to thank for you being an Independent?" Freya asked, humour in her tone.

"I don't think anyone on Shadow supported Unification. I guess she did her work well." Mal smiled for a moment at her, then followed the curve of the ship downwards. "I conjure this is one of 'em. With the flag 'n' all."

He could see fragments of landing struts that bore testament to the violence of the crash, but it was Jayne who said what they were thinking.

"It ain't going nowhere," Jayne said quietly, pointing towards where she was cushioned on the cavern floor. "Her belly's ripped out."

"How did they get in?" Simon asked, joining his sister and looking up in the darkness above them.

"They came down, couldn't get out. Nowhere to go," River said, running her hand across the old flag then snatching them back as if burned. She stared at her fingertips.

"You okay?" Mal asked.

"Just …" She shook herself, and he put his arm around her shoulder, squeezing gently. She flashed him a grateful smile as she went on, "Blazing through the atmo, and the rocks closed in again after them. They should have been crushed, but …"

"Lucky."

"Not for long."

Jayne growled, leaning down sharply and picking up a gold coin. He held it up, letting it glint in the light. "Shiny," he said, thrusting it into his pants pocket.

Freya had gone around the other side. "I think that might be the other end of the tunnel from the cave Jayne found the coin in," she said, staring at a jumble of rocks coming from the wall at a steep angle.

"So how did it get out there?" Simon asked. "If the cave is blocked."

River stared. "Not then. Later. Someone tried to run, to get away. Madness …"

"That bad?" Mal looked at her sympathetically.

She nodded.

Her husband, in the meantime, had been studying the ground, and kept leaning forward, picking things up and stuffing them into his pants.

"Jayne, are you planning on actually walking around with what you got down there?" Mal asked, adding quickly, "The coins, I mean."

"Didn't think you'd be interested in anything else I might have," Jayne leered. He adjusted the front of his pants.

"Stop doing that."

"It's uncomfortable."

"You should've left some."

"And have someone pinch 'em?"

"Who, Jayne?"

"Well, you know …"

Mal shook his head, trying to stop the sigh that threatened to overwhelm him. "Here," he said, picking up an empty gunny sack from a small stash of items against the wall. "At least put 'em in there. Be slightly less disconcerting than watching you doing … that."

With a slightly suspicious look, Jayne took the canvas bag and started to decant the coins into it. Mal turned away in a vain effort to try and get the image of his gunhand rummaging around inside his pants out of his mind. Unfortunately he saw Freya trying to hide a smile, and River wasn't much better. Simon was grinning widely. Okay. Better get this whole thing back under control. He settled his shoulders. "Well, now that situation is dealt with … I think it's time we took a look inside," Mal said, turning to gaze at the ship once more. "See if this treasure of Simon's really is there."


	15. Chapter 15

"Do you really think they've found something?" Jarrett asked, following his brother towards the tunnel entrance, the other men spreading out to cover them.

"Well, they've not come out. What do you think?" Aiden scanned the surrounding area. "There's mines and all sorts around here. Maybe they've come across an untapped seam."

"So what do we do?"

Something groaned in the darkness ahead of them, sounding all too suspiciously like a wooden prop shifting.

Aiden licked his lips and said, "I think we wait. They've gotta come out again."

Jarrett nodded hard. "Yeah. I think so too." He sat down on a convenient boulder, the sweat dripping from his straight black bangs to stain his yellow shirt.

* * *

The main access to the shuttle was open, but only just. Jayne tried to force it, but even his strength wasn't enough.

"Help me," he said, and the other two men put their shoulders against the hatch. It squealed loudly, the sound filling the cavern, but its old metal couldn't withstand their combined assault. It tore from its upper hinges, falling back and leaving enough room to get through.

"It doesn't look like Ingleby got this far," Simon said.

"Nope," Mal agreed. "So maybe we'll be in luck and find something. Maybe even beyond our wildest dreams."

"I don't know, Mal," Jayne said, forcing his bulk through the opening. "I got some pretty wild dreams."

"Thanks, but I don't think I wanna know." He followed, while Simon stood back to allow the River and Freya to precede him.

Their torch beams illuminated an airlock like that on Serenity, only smaller, but this time the doorway at the back was open. The inky darkness inside was complete.

"Okay," Mal said, swallowing slightly. "Now I know I ain't claustrophobic like Hank, but … everyone stay together."

"You thinking there might be ghosts?" Jayne joked, but River silenced him with a hand on his arm.

"Always are," she whispered, keeping as far away from the metalwork as she could.

* * *

"Shit." Jarrett, who had been counting rocks in an abstracted fashion, sat up taller.

"What?" Aiden's hand was on his gun.

His brother nodded back towards the town. "That."

"Oh, _cao_."

A hover mule was eating up the ground, getting closer with every passing second. They could already see the familiar bulk of a man sitting in the back, four other men with him.

"Can we run?" Jarrett asked.

"He'd probably take that as an invitation to mow us down," Aiden said, his body language shouting annoyance. "And enjoy every second."

Jarrett nodded. "Yeah."

It only took another minute and the mule was pulled to a stop, showering them both with gritty sand.

"Did you do that on purpose?" Aiden demanded, brushing himself down.

Chester jumped from the vehicle. "If that's the worst I do to you, you should be grateful," he snarled. "What the hell do you two think you're doing out here?"

"None of your business." His brother stuck his chin out defiantly.

"I didn't give you permission to leave the ship."

"Permission?" Aiden almost laughed. "Since when do I need permission?"

"Since I run things."

"Yeah, well, maybe that ought to change."

"You think so, do you? You want to try me?" Chester asked, his voice low, making sure the other men couldn't hear. "Because we can. Right here. Only don't expect any of them to back you up."

"_Wo diao_."

"_Si cui de_."

"Me? Heading for hell? Why, do you think you're man enough to send me there?"

"No wonder our father despaired of you," Chester said, shaking his head, a look of disgust on his face. "He always knew you would turn out to be weak."

"Oh, I'm sure he's spinning in his grave right now."

Chester turned red. "Don't you disrespect him."

Aiden realised he'd gone a step too far but he couldn't back down now. "And you think he'd be pleased if he could see you kowtowing to everyone?"

"I don't kowtow. I weigh all the options." He glared at his brother. "What makes you think you can go after Reynolds and his crew?"

"If you already knew, why did you ask?"

"Because I hoped I was wrong, and you'd only come out here for a pleasure jaunt."

Aiden's temper snapped. "They humiliated us!"

"I know."

"And you don't think they have to pay for that?"

Chester was suddenly in his face, barely an inch between them. "If I do, it'll be because I decide it. When and where. Not you."

"You let that judge walk all over you."

"And you've already nearly been in jail. It was only luck and Riley's good sense that got you out of that bar before the Sheriff arrived. You really want to be bound for murder?"

Jarrett shifted uncomfortably. "Chester, we were only going to hurt them a little."

His brother turned on him. "And you should know better! Hasn't Aiden got you into more trouble than you can afford, before now? I've had to bail the both of you out more than once, and believe me, it's getting monotonous."

"Oh, and you're so law-abiding?" Aiden put in, getting Chester's full attention back. "I've seen the things you do to people you don't like. At close hand. Not exactly lily-white, are you?"

"I do what's necessary. And you don't get to cross me like this."

They were toe to toe, and Jarrett was holding his breath, waiting for the next moment to see who was going to survive. That moment stretched, until it was so thin and tight he knew it was about to snap, and he couldn't take it any more. "They're up to something," he said finally.

Chester didn't blink. "Who?"

"Reynolds. His people. They've been searching. Now they've gone down that tunnel, and …" He picked up the backpack they'd discovered at the entrance. "I think they might have found something."

"Something." Chester took a single step back, turning enough to look at his youngest brother. "What kind of something?"

* * *

The interior of the shuttle was divided into three, with a tiny engine room at the back, barely enough space for anyone to work, let alone swing a cat. The bow had a small cockpit, and dust lay thick on all the controls, filtering in through the broken window. But it was the central section that drew their attention. Obviously a cargo bay, it could hold an impressive amount of goods or equipment, if packed right, but was now virtually empty. Apart from the spacesuit and the chest.

All torch beams centred on the odd tableau, and the already cool temperature inside the room seemed to drop another ten degrees.

The spacesuit lay against the open chest, the head turned away, but with one arm draped inside, as if reaching for something. For a moment it seemed the occupant might stir, maybe even get up and harangue them for taking so long, but Freya stepped forward, turning the helmet so they could see inside.

"_Yo ho ho_," River sang quietly as the faceplate came into view, framing the mummified skull within.

"Any idea who he is?" Mal asked.

Freya shrugged. "He's probably Agincott, at least if the stories are to be believed."

"Agincott?"

"Basil Agincott. The last curator of the Kugelman collection." Simon wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. "I finally remembered the man's name."

"You looked it up," River said faintly.

"_Mei-mei_," he admonished, knowing he could never get anything past his sister. He sighed. "And yes, she's right. I looked it up on the Cortex while you were with the Sheriff," he added. "He disappeared at the same time as the collection. It was a huge scandal, apparently."

Jayne headed for the cockpit, but nobody else noticed.

"Well, he's been here a while," Mal said unnecessarily, then went down onto his heels. "Looks like he had some trouble, too." He pulled the dull fabric taut, showing a slit in the left leg of the spacesuit. The man inside had obviously tried to tie a tourniquet around it to keep the air inside, the wire he'd used still visible, but even if it worked there'd been little point to it. Broken, yellowish bone showed through the gap, low down on the thigh.

"Compound fracture." The young doctor couldn't help himself. "Quite probably involving any number of major blood vessels, considering its position."

"Fatal?"

"Mal, the man's been dead for nearly three centuries. But yes, he would quite possibly have bled out from such an injury. I imagine that's partly why the tourniquet, as well."

"What do you suppose he intended doing?" Mal asked quietly, keeping his tone low. Something about this place had that effect on him. "I mean, he must've known he wasn't going anywhere."

"Beacon's deployed," Jayne said, coming back in from the small bridge. "Maybe he hoped someone'd hear."

"Yes, but he would've been bleeding pretty bad."

"Everyone wants to survive," Simon said. "It's part of the human condition. Every day we make bargains, just to live that bit longer. Mostly we win."

"He didn't. And he knew nobody was gonna come rescue him. Not this far out. Hell, I ain't even sure why they were in this sector in the first place." Mal stared at the body, his thoughts back to when this was a walking, talking human being, with all the frailties that entailed.

Jayne stepped back to lean on the bulkhead, having been around so many different kinds of death all his adult life that a man sucking on a vacuum just didn't hold his attention. "Comin' out all this way," he muttered. "Just to die on this rock. Must've been plumb loco."

"Driven." River drifted to his side.

"Insane."

"For a given value of sanity, yes."

He looked down at her. "So what happened? Do you see?"

She nodded slowly. "Agincott believed the Alliance would break up the collection, sell it, give it away for favours to stay in power."

"I can believe that," Mal muttered.

"You can read that?" Jayne asked his wife softly.

She shrugged. "It's very strong here." She glanced back at the corpse. "They were out of control, landed on an unterraformed moon, and knew they would never get anywhere again. Called for help, but no-one came." She shivered, the skin on her neck puckering as someone walked over her grave. Quickly she turned and strode out of the shuttle.

Jayne went to follow her, but Freya shook her head. "I'll go."

"Thanks."

Mal watched his wife head out of the door, then turned back to Simon. "So what happened to it? Plain to see it ain't here, and unless we missed something outside, it's not there either."

"There's lots of other caves around," Jayne pointed out. "Could be in one o'them."

Mal shook his head. "I can't see men who've just survived a major crash being all that bothered about hiding a load of art."

"Agincott would." Simon took a deep breath, the stale air almost making him gag. "All indications are that he was driven."

"Like my moonbrain said," Jayne murmured, glancing at the door.

Mal swung his torch beam towards the small bridge. "Well, maybe we can find out."

* * *

"Honey?" Freya caught River up by the mute flag. "Are you okay? Is it the emotions inside?"

"No. Not entirely."

"Then what?"

"I felt something. Before. Outside."

"That was a while ago, River," Freya said gently. "And Jayne said there are cats –"

"Not cats. At least, I don't … I can't …" River shook her head, trying to clear it. "I think someone is out there," the young psychic murmured.

Freya glanced sharply at the dark mouth of the tunnel. "Right now? Waiting for us?"

"Mmn."

"Any idea who?"

River bit her lip in consternation. "No."

Freya concentrated, trying to see out beyond the heavy thoughts of the others, even those of the woman next to her. "Gorramit," she whispered.

"I know." River sighed. "It's Jayne. He's so focused."

"On the prospective wealth."

"Yes. Even Mal and Simon are projecting, but that's more extreme curiosity than greed."

"You think Jayne's greedy?"

"Of course." River gazed into the older woman's eyes. "But it's more. The memories of those on board as they crashed, knowing they were going to die and trying to leave, to see the sky once more, and Agincott following, killing them." She glanced towards the rock fall. "He dragged them back inside, but the walls came down on the bodies. Broke his leg. Knew he was going to suffocate or bleed to death so he crawled into the shuttle. So determined …"

Freya put her arm around her surrogate daughter. "It's okay, River. Just let it go."

"But it's still here. I can feel it. The anger, the fear, the … don't you?" She fixed Freya with her dark eyes.

"Yes. I do," Freya admitted. "But you have to control it. Like we practised, _dong mah_?"

"I'm … trying."

"Do you want me to get Jayne?"

"No." She laughed unexpectedly. "It wouldn't help. But all the memories … they make me feel … cotton candy."

"And you think we're not alone."

River sobered immediately. "No."

Freya fingered the butt of her gun. "Maybe I should go out and take a look. Just to make sure we're wrong."

"I'll come. If we need to –"

Mal's voice interrupted them as he came back into view. "Are you two okay?"

"Shiny," Freya said, trying a smile.

"Only we're gonna try and access the logs, see if we can't figure out where the rest of the Hoard is. Might need River's help."

Freya looked down at the young woman. "Are you going to be okay going back inside?" _Don't worry. I'll sort the other thing_, she added mentally.

River nodded. "Yes. I'm fine." She squared her shoulders and strode around the shuttle.

"Ain't you coming with us?" Mal asked, surprised that Freya hadn't followed.

"We have company," Freya said shortly.

Mal didn't question her, or ask how she thought she knew. Instead he drew his gun, whispering it from the leather. "Jayne needs to stay. Make sure Simon and River don't come to harm."

Freya had to smile, warmed as always that Mal tended to see their crazy lunatic assassin as the young girl she appeared. "Just us, then." Her own weapon appeared in her hand.

His lips twitched. "Best way, darlin'."

They headed for the tunnel, dust sifting down to touch their shoulders.

* * *

"Wait a minute," Simon said, leaning over his sister as she tried to access anything that might be of use on the shuttle's bridge. "Mal said something about there being stories of explosions. If there was no-one here to see it -"

"Does the tree make a sound if no-one hears it fall?" River didn't look up from the board.

"_Xiao mei-mei_ …" Simon prompted, wishing she still didn't fall back on the incomprehensible once in a while.

Jayne, back in the cargo area, called out. "Fuel cells. That part's split like a grape."

River nodded. "They didn't burn up in the crash. Why it's still more or less intact. Broke off on impact."

"Are you saying they blew later? When people were around to see?" Simon asked.

"Mmn."

He shook his head. "So this was here, all the time they were terraforming."

Despite his input, Jayne wasn't taking much notice of the conversation. He'd been checking all the storage areas in the shuttle's bay, and something had caught his eye, stuffed into the back of one of the lockers along the back wall. Glancing around at the other two, he reached inside and picked up a statue.

It was a horse, made of some dull metal, so small it almost fit into the palm of his hand. He ran a finger down its mane, then along the back to the tail. Whoever had made this, knew his horses. The strong neck, powerful flanks … maybe even meant to be a specific animal. Glancing again at Simon, he opened the flap on the pocket of his pants by his right thigh, and slid it inside. It wasn't gold, but maybe Caleb'd like it.

"No-one came to look," River was saying. "And when the fuel cells finally ruptured, creating day from night, the stories kept people away," she added. "Quiet as the …" Her head snapped up, her eyes widening. "Grave."


	16. Chapter 16

He knew he was going to have bruises, but knocking on the cargo bay door was the only way he could figure of letting them know he wanted in. If he'd been sensible, of course, he would have gone back to the office, waved, or maybe even jogged to Gilford's and used the Cortex link there. If he'd been sensible. Trouble was, he had the feeling the time for being sensible had just about run out.

Lifting his hand to bang again he paused, getting the distinct feeling that someone was just inside.

The small door creaked open, and he was met with a hand holding what suspiciously looked like a Mare's Leg.

"Don't shoot!" he said quickly, stepping back so the person with their finger on the trigger could see him clearly. "It's Dan Jefferson."

The tall, dark-skinned beauty he recognised as Zoe Mills appeared in the doorway. "Sheriff." Odd how her gun hadn't moved though.

He wasted no time on pleasantries. "Where's Mal Reynolds?"

* * *

"Well, this is an interesting development," Mal said, his hands raised.

He and Freya had exited the tunnel into the bright Ezra sun, but despite their best efforts hadn't seen the men hiding either side of the entrance until they felt cold metal pressed into their necks.

"Sorry," Freya said, her own arms likewise lifted. _I didn't feel them in time. Jayne's still projecting._

"Not your fault. I figure this is just one of those things we can't do a thing about." _I didn't see 'em either, ai ren. Sun was in my eyes._

"I'm still sorry."

"Then you can apologise in private later." He flashed her a smile.

Chester Lau stared at them. Despite the fact that his men had divested them of their firearms in short order, they still looked far too comfortable, as if this sort of thing happened a lot. Perhaps it did. "Captain Reynolds," he said to get their attention.

"That's me." Mal turned to the man standing in front of them, trying for friendly. "Chester Lau, isn't it?"

"I am."

"And your brothers." Mal nodded at the other two men, each with guns aimed squarely at his belly. "To what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"Four thousand credits," Aiden Lau growled out. "You owe me four thousand credits."

"Personally?" Mal's brows drew together in mock confusion. "Did I play cards with you and I don't remember or something?"

"Mal," the woman at his side chided. "We really have to do something about that memory of yours." Her eyes swept round to fix on his face, but in that move she'd made note of exactly where all the other weapons were that had been trained on them. Too many to take down, especially with their own guns more than ten feet away on the dirt.

"The fine!" Aiden spat. "It's coming out of my own account!"

Mal shrugged. "Nothing to do with me. We paid our debt to Gideon, for something your man started, I'd like to point out, and got the sore muscles to prove it. Anything else you'd better take up with your brother."

Aiden glared at Chester. "Oh, don't worry. I intend to. After I deal with you." The sound of his pistol cocking seemed very loud.

"Aiden." Just one word, but Chester's voice made it clear who was in charge.

"I want to –"

"I know what you want to do." He narrowed his already almond-shaped eyes. "And you won't be doing a damn thing until I tell you."

"Chester –"

"No."

Aiden subsided a little, but neither Mal nor Freya were under any illusions about what he'd do if given half a chance.

"So," Mal said slowly. "What are you planning?"

Chester smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Well, first off, you're going to tell me what you're doing out here."

"Us? We're just taking a look around. One of my crew comes from this rock, and he's giving us the guided tour."

"That'll be one of those still inside, then?"

_They've been watching_, Mal heard in his mind. _They know._

He kept the sigh inside. "That'll be right," he agreed.

"Then why don't they come out and join us? And bring whatever it is you've found."

"Found?" Mal put on his innocent face. "What makes you think we've found anything?"

Chester's smile took on a hint of triumph. "Oh. Pretty much this." He held something up, letting the light catch the golden surface and making the eagle look as if it was about to take flight.

"Damn," Mal murmured.

* * *

"You know where they went," Zoe said, stepping out into the daylight. "You sold Mal the permit yourself."

"I know that. But where, exactly?"

Zoe's brows drew down. "Why?"

Dan's temper was beginning to fray. "Just tell me!"

"_Huo Yan Shan_." The Mare's Leg lifted again. "Now you can tell me why."

* * *

"Jarrett found it in the backpack there," Chester explained, tossing the gold coin into the air and catching it in his palm. "Heads or tails?"

Mal looked taken aback. "What?"

"Heads we kill you, tails we don't."

"Then I call tails. Always tails."

Chester slapped the coin onto the back of his hand, raised his fingers slowly and glanced down. "Looks like your luck is in, least for the moment." As he lifted his head, though, his eyes were hard. "Call them out. With whatever you found. Or you might not be so lucky next time."

* * *

Inside the tunnel, out of sight of the Laus and their men, Jayne leaned back on the wall. "Gorramit."

"Too many," River breathed.

"We can take 'em," her husband said, looking down into what he could see of her face in the gloom. "Even your bro here's getting to be a pretty good shot."

Simon grimaced, but it went unnoticed in the dark.

"Too many," she repeated. "They would be hurt. Perhaps killed."

Jayne knew she didn't mean the bad guys. "Then what?"

"No choice." She saw Simon nod, then he turned away and jogged back towards the Arc shuttle.

* * *

Back in the sunshine there was a discreet beep, and a voice saying _"Chester."_

The oldest Lau pulled a new comlink from his pocket. "Yes."

"_We're ready to go."_

"The engine is fixed?" Chester was surprised.

"_Soon as you like."_

"Can you get a fix on us?"

There was a pause. _"Got it."_

"Then come and pick us up."

"_On our way."_ There was a click and the comlink went silent.

Chester tucked the unit back in his pocket and looked up at Mal. "So. Are you going call them out, or do I send my men inside?"

* * *

"Are you sure?" Zoe asked, heading for the internal com.

"Positive." Dan followed her. "And that Aiden Lau isn't one I'd like to cross on a dark night. Or even in the middle of the day, come to that."

She thrust her hand down on the switch. "Hank."

"_Yeah, honey?"_

"How long to get us in the air?"

"_Five minutes?"_

"Can you cut it back?"

"_Not really. Not 'less you want us maybe crashing on take-off."_

"Quick as you can, then. And call Mal. I'll be up in a sec."

"_Zoe, what's the problem?"_ His concern came over all too clearly.

"Just do it." She let go of the switch, about to turn back to Dan when she was stopped.

"Auntie Zoe?" Bethie stood in the doorway to the common area, her eyes wide, frightened, Ethan holding tightly to her hand, the exact same expression on his face. The little girl was biting her lip hard enough to draw a single bead of blood.

"Shit." Zoe didn't need it spelled out for her.

Hank's voice sounded through the bay again, the worry obviously multiplied. _"Mal ain't answering. And I know I got a good signal."_

Zoe and Dan exchanged a glance as she thumbed the switch again. "Get us going."

"_Um, and … Zo?"_

"What?"

"_Golden Dragon's taking off."_

Dan was outside in the blink of an eye, staring up at the Clipper lifting from her berth, turning smoothly on her horizontal axis and heading away from the docks, her engines making everything rattle. He called out. "They're going for the hills."

Zoe closed her eyes, then said, "Hank. No safeties. Get us airborne."

"_They're faster'n us."_

"Then start praying too."

* * *

"You have to, Jayne," River said quietly. "They will kill otherwise."

"But moonbrain –"

"No time to discuss it."

"All of it?"

"All of it. If they don't believe us, come in to search and find more …"

Jayne looked down into her face, into the eyes that promised him so very much. "Yeah. I guess it's what I'd do."

Simon held out the gunny sack he'd gone to fetch. "Sorry," he murmured.

"Yeah." Undoing his gunbelt and dropping it to the dirt, Jayne took the bag and moved towards the entrance. "Don't shoot," he called. "We're coming out."

Leaving their weapons with the ex-mercenary's, River and Simon followed.

Chester nodded in appreciation as he watched the three people leave the tunnel. "At least some of your crew are sensible," he said, eyeing the sack in the big man's hands. "And bearing gifts, too."

"Ain't yours." Jayne hugged it tighter.

"You will give it to us." He stepped forwards.

"You know, it ain't what you think." Mal nodded towards the bag in Jayne's embrace, trying one last time. "It's just some bits my man here hid when he was a kid. Playing pirates. You know, sentimental value. But it ain't worth anything."

"Of course not." Chester held out a hand. "Then you won't mind us taking a look."

"Like hell," Jayne growled, holding it tighter. Even though he knew he had to, it wasn't going to be without at least making sure everyone knew it was against his better judgement.

Chester sighed. "All I have to do is say the word, and I will take it from your cold dead fingers."

"Well, technically they'd probably still be warm, but I think we get your drift." Mal looked at the gunmen ranged around them. He sighed. This had all the hallmarks of the story of his life, at least so far. Just as he thought he was getting somewhere, maybe with enough money in the safe so that he didn't have to worry about where the next job was going to come from, maybe even the next meal, and someone had to come along and throw a wrench into the works. "Jayne, hand it over."

"No rutting way, Mal!" The big man took a step back, and all guns moved to follow him. "This ain't theirs!"

"It isn't exactly ours either," Freya said softly.

"Yeah, but … finders keepers. Ain't that what you said?"

"And that'll just make you the richest corpse around," Mal put in. "Can't spend it if you're dead, Jayne."

"Aw, Mal …"

"Hand it over."

Jayne's face crumpled, but he tossed the heavy gunny sack towards the older Lau.

It fell into the sand, but before Chester could bend down Aiden darted forward and picked it up, tugging it open. "_Wu de mah_ …" he muttered.

"What is it?" Jarrett asked, trying to see over his shoulder. "_Cao_."

"Tell me," Chester demanded.

Instead Aiden reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of coins. "It's … gold. Damn near full of it." He glanced quickly at Mal, then went back to the sack, dribbling them back through his fingers. "Are they real?" he asked.

"Real enough." Serenity's captain dropped his hands, settling his thumbs into his empty gunbelt. No-one said a word, every single person watching Aiden. "So … you got what you want. No point in anybody killing anybody today, don't you think?"

"Where did it come from?" Chester wanted to know, mesmerised as much as the rest of his men.

"Where does any buried treasure come from?" Mal shrugged. "Prob'ly someone stole it, thought this was a good hiding place. Maybe even the man that owned the backpack."

"Mmn."

There was silence for a moment.

"Um … well?" Mal prompted. "I think we can part company now, don't you?"

Chester's eyes moved back to the five people in front of him. "And if I decide to send my men inside? Take a look around?"

"Fine. Be my guest. They won't find anything, but it's your time to waste."

A low booming sound infiltrated their hearing, and the Golden Dragon appeared, swooping low.

"Chester, let's just kill 'em and be done with it," Aiden said, going back to his first inclination.

Jayne settled himself, ready to launch at the nearest gunman if necessary, and he could feel River doing the same. He couldn't see Freya too well, but he knew she was preparing herself.

Mal let his hands hang loose by his sides, adrenalin running through his system as the Clipper touched down.

As it settled into the dirt, the landing gear adjusting minutely to take the weight, a hatch opened in the side of the vessel, and a man stepped out. "Chester!" he called.

"What?"

"Looks like that Firefly's right behind us, boss. And Riley thinks the sheriff might be on board."

Chester's lips thinned to non-existence.

"Then we don't have time to be wasting," Aiden said, lifting his gun again, pointing it at Mal's chest.

His brother turned on him. "Are you totally _fong luh_?" Chester snapped. "They know we're here."

"No they don't."

"They've got a pretty good idea. And that sheriff is already sympathetic towards them. Do you honestly think he won't put two and two together as soon as he finds the bodies? There'll be a warrant issued on us before we're even out of atmo."

"But Chester -"

"_Bizui_!" His glare could have shattered glass. "Now get the hover back on board."

"Chester -"

"Do it before I decide you're the one that's going to get buried here." Nobody believed he was telling anything less than the absolute truth.

Aiden slammed his mouth shut, thrusting his pistol back into its holster so hard it was amazing it didn't go off. He stalked to the vehicle and jumped into the driver's seat, giving it so much unnecessary revs that the sound filled the air, and turned it towards the Clipper. In a flurry of sand he gunned the engine, and the mule leapt forward, the Golden Dragon's ramp barely down in time before he disappeared from view.

"Chester, what about the horses?" Jarrett asked, motioning towards where they'd tied their mounts.

The oldest Lau ignored him, turning back to Mal. "You've gotten away with it this time," he said.

"Seems like."

"But I can't guarantee that'll happen if our paths cross again." He moved so he was standing directly in front of Serenity's captain. "In fact, I can pretty much predict the future, and if I ever see you again there will be blood."

Jayne went to take a step forward, but River's hand stopped him.

Mal barely blinked. "Wasn't our fault. And you're taking away a hell of a lot more than you arrived with."

"Believe me, that's the only reason you're still walking and talking. But that can change." Chester looked Mal up and down. "I'm a bad man to have as an enemy, Captain Reynolds."

"We're kinda used to it," Mal admitted. "But we seem to survive."

"If we meet again, I wouldn't put that to the test if I were you." Chester didn't wait for a response, but turned on his heel and strode to his ship, his men following.

They were barely inside their ship before Jayne darted into the tunnel, grabbing their weapons and running back outside. He tossed River her guns, dropped Simon's to the dirt and pulled Betsey free from her holster.

"No," Mal said quietly.

"They're getting away, Mal!"

"I know."

"But they got the gold!"

"I noticed."

The Clipper took off, her engines roaring as she lifted from the ground, making the ground tremble, and masking the popping sounds from inside the tunnel.

"Aw, Mal!" Jayne complained, seeing his life of total luxury and decadence disappearing over the horizon, or at least into the upper atmo.

"You'd rather I let them kill you? 'Cause if that's the case I can always -"

"But gold, Mal. All that money …"

Mal picked up his weapon, wondering if he was going to have to hit his gunhand with it before he did something really stupid. "If you're seriously considering the two options -"

River interrupted. "No, he isn't."

Jayne stared at her. "But -"

"No."

He subsided a little, muttering under his breath.

River turned her huge dark eyes on him. "Black lace and leather …" she said softly.

What she was saying dawned on his face, and the pink blush tipped his ears. "Riv, you wouldn't."

"Try me."

"Aw, hell." He sighed dramatically and looked at Mal. "Okay. No chasing the Dragon."

"I'm fair sure that's somethin' else entirely, but I'll take it that you're now in agreement."

"Yeah, Mal."

"Good."

"But that don't mean we can't get back inside, finish checking the logs," Jayne said, strapping his belt back around his waist. "Figure out where the rest of it is."

"No," River whispered.

"Moonbrain, we gotta find it."

"No," she repeated, placing herself squarely between him and the tunnel.

"Riv?"

In answer she turned towards town, looking up expectantly.

A familiar engine note got louder, encroaching on their hearing, and they all turned to see Serenity come into sight, getting closer fast. She touched down less than fifty yards away and the earth beneath their feet shuddered.

It was too much. With a groan, sounding like fifteen men crying out as they died fighting over a chest full of gold, the props inside the tunnel shifted one more time, and collapsed. Dust and dirt poured from the darkness as if hell itself had opened up inside and smoke from the fiery pits was escaping.

"_Wo ni cao _…" Jayne stared, half expecting demons to materialise.

The haze settled, showing rubble and large stones filling the entrance.

Mal swallowed. "Yeah."

"I would have been …" Jayne couldn't continue.

"That you would," Simon agreed.

Serenity's ramp lowered, and before it even touched the earth Zoe was out, Dan Jefferson a close second, but even before she could speak a deeper rumbling vibrated through the ground, making them stagger, seeming to last forever as the sound of rocks grinding set everyone's teeth on edge. At last the silence surged backwards.

Mal looked at Freya. She nodded.

"Tomb," River whispered.

"Sir, are you okay?" Zoe asked, coming to a fast stop in front of him. "And what was that?"

"We're shiny."

"Only we thought the Golden Dragon was going to be here."

"Oh, she was. But she left. Coupla minutes ago."

Zoe relaxed her hand off her Mare's Leg. "Really."

"Yeah."

"And that noise?" Dan asked, holstering his gun. "Sounded like … not sure what."

"Seismic activity," River supplied. "The area is riddled with fault lines and occasionally these shift, allowing the ancient volcanic -"

"Earthquake," Mal said succinctly, ignoring the young psychic's annoyed look.

"An earthquake." Dan just gazed at him.

"'Xactly." Mal turned to Jayne. "Better get our hover on board."

"Okay, Mal." The big man glanced at the tunnel once more, imagining his broken body crushed under tonnes of rock, then jogged away.

"Better go with -" Mal began, but River had already taken to her heels after her husband.

_I'll stop him thinking about digging in that cave_, she whispered in his mind. _Nothing left but debris now, anyway. And I hadn't finished._

_You can blind him with your superior knowledge later, xiao nu._

_And you don't get out of it by calling me 'daughter'._

_No?_

"And did you find anything?" Dan asked, interrupting his thoughts. "Seeing as you came out here prospecting."

"Well, we thought we had, but …" Mal deliberately didn't look at the debris. "Looks like we were wrong."

"What about the Laus? I got the feeling they weren't likely to be leaving without something, at the very least a goodly portion of your hide."

Mal smiled slightly. "Can't really say, Sheriff."

"Can't or won't?"

"Dan, I think you scared 'em off before they could do anything. Besides, Chester told 'em to leave us alone." _This _time, he added mentally.

"Hmmn." It was obvious Dan didn't believe a word of it. "Well, we'd better be getting back to town. Unless you have some yen to spend the night out here."

"No, no, that'll be fine."

Simon draped his gunbelt over his shoulder. "What about the horses?" he asked. "The Laus were right - we can't exactly leave them."

"We could load them into Serenity," Mal considered. "It wouldn't be the first time, and it's a short trip."

"And they ain't never been on a ship before," Dan pointed out. "They'd probably kick you to pieces, let alone what other little gifts they'd leave. Could be a hell of a mess to clean up."

"That wouldn't matter. That's what I've got Jayne for."

Dan snorted a laugh back into his chest, but shook his head. "No, I'll take 'em back. Give you a chance to decide whether to tell me the truth or not."

"What makes you think I haven't?"

"Call it a lawman's instinct. And it's shouting right now that you ain't telling me everything."

"Dan." Freya linked her arm through his. "If we did that, it would take a very long time, and we'd probably have to kill you afterwards." She smiled sweetly at him.

He glared at her, but finally had to chuckle. "Oh, you women are all the same. No wonder Deirdra runs me ragged." He disentangled himself. "I'll ride the horses back. But we will be talking about this again." He walked firmly away.

"Looking forward to it," Freya called.

"Were you flirting with him?" Mal wanted to know, his brows drawn down suspiciously.

"Who, me?" She looked at him, all wide-eyed innocence, looking just like her daughter caught out in a misdemeanour. "I don't know how to flirt."

"Well, you're giving a pretty damn good impression of it."

She smiled, this time warmer and far more genuine. "Why would I flirt with him, Mal? When I have you."

"Just you remember that." He turned back to Zoe, and away from his wife's amused gaze. "How did you know we were in trouble?" he asked.

"Bethie and Ethan. They picked it up."

"Oh." Mal shook his head. "They probably saved our lives, but -"

"They're okay now," Freya assured him, putting her arm around his, just like she'd done with the Sheriff, but pressing her body much closer. "They know we're fine."

"Well, that's good."

Zoe raised an eyebrow at them both. "And you're really not hurt."

"Not even a splinter," Simon supplied as he went past them to go and check on his own wife and children.

"Huh."

Mal grinned at his first mate. "What's up, Zoe? It feel like the 'verse is turned upside down because your captain isn't having to have a bullet dug out of him?"

"Honestly, sir, I think it's against nature." She strode back inside, leaving him laughing.


	17. Chapter 17

The next few days passed pleasantly enough, with everyone getting ready for the wedding.

Monday evening, Dan Jefferson paid a visit to Serenity, staying for supper only when Kaylee persuaded him.

"Don't think you can get round me with … what's that great smell?" he asked, sniffing appreciatively.

"_Coq au vin_," Simon supplied as he placed the dish in the centre of the table and lifted the lid. "Only with some of my wife's home-made wine instead of the _vin_, and the _coq_ is some creature Jayne went out and caught."

Dan's eyes widened in surprise. "You cooked?"

"One of my many talents." He smiled. "Don't you?"

"Simon, I grew up with a mother and four sisters, and a Pa who considered a woman's place was in the kitchen. Or the bedroom. I can't even boil an egg without nearly burning down the house."

"Exactly the same as me," Hank said eagerly. "Without the feeling a woman's place is in the kitchen, of course," he added quickly, smiling at Zoe. "But the bedroom's fine."

She merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"Won't Deirdra be waiting a meal on you?" Mal asked, amused.

"Nope." Dan watched as the plates were filled. "I went home earlier, and we talked a bit. Probably best I give her some space for a few hours."

"Is everything going to be okay?" Freya asked, putting bowls in front of both Ethan and Jesse.

"I hope so." Taking a hunk of bread from the platter River passed to him, he paused a moment. "I want it to be. So bad. It's just … I can't make her see I'd never want anyone else."

"Give it time," Kaylee advised, sighing as Bethie attacked her food as usual, Hope much more delicate with her eating.

"Oh, I intend to. Much as it takes."

* * *

After supper Mal saw Dan to the ramp.

"You really don't wanna tell me what happened out there today, do you?" the Sheriff asked, feeling a pleasant fullness in his belly.

"Well, that kinda depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you're talking as a person or a lawman."

"Can't I be both?"

"Not right now."

"Then … as a person."

Mal considered what to say, then realised Freya was standing on the top catwalk. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her nod. _He's okay, Mal. He won't tell anyone, not if we say not to_.

"Shiny." He took a breath. "We found … something out there, and the Laus took it. Now, I ain't gonna complain, since we came out of the desert with no less than we went in, and no bullet wounds, either. But Aiden Lau was gonna hurt us, so I figure we won."

Dan's interest was more than piqued. "What did you find?"

"Coins. Gold coins. Worth something of a small fortune."

The sheriff shook his head in disbelief. "That's …"

"Yeah."

"I can make an official report, get the Laus bound next time they make planetfall. You had the permit, so in theory –"

Mal held up his hand. "No. Exactly what I _don't_ want to happen. Like I said, we're alive and unharmed, and I'd like to keep it that way. Chester Lau's reputation suggests he has a long memory, and I'd rather be forgotten."

"But –"

"No. I told you 'cause you asked, and I think I can trust you. But nothing else is gonna come of it."

"Okay." Dan sighed heavily. "I don't like it, but okay."

"Thanks."

"These coins … did they have anything to do with Ephraim Ingleby? I mean, as curator of one of the biggest museums in the Core, he might've come across something. Were they old?"

"Can't say."

"Can't or won't?"

"You've just enjoyed a good meal, and maybe made some new friends. Think we should leave it at that, don't you?"

Dan stared at the other man suspiciously, then nodded. "Fine. And you're right. The meal was good. And I'd better be getting home, 'fore Deirdra takes it into her head I'm with another woman."

"I could always get Kaylee to rub up against you," Mal offered. "You could be smelling of engine grease if you just say the word."

"I might enjoy that too much," Dan said, laughing as he walked out into the darkness.

* * *

Matty, despite having elicited a promise from Jolene that she was going to go through with it, had a bad attack of nerves on the Tuesday, necessitating Simon taking him into the infirmary and doping him up.

"There," the young doctor said, tossing the used syringe into the sharps box. "That should help."

Matty took a deep breath and felt his muscles coming out of spasm. "Thanks," he said sincerely. His fingers started to relax, and he studied the crescent shaped marks his nails had made in his palms. "Did you … when you got hitched … did you have nerves?"

Simon smiled, and patted the younger Cobb on the shoulder. "I did," he admitted. "But then I did get married twice."

"Twice? You mean Kaylee's your second?"

"No. I mean I married her twice. First time was on board this very ship, with Mal officiating." At Matty's somewhat startled look, he went on, "Freya was pregnant, you see, and there might have been complications, so she had to …" He paused. "Anyway, to cut a long story short Kaylee asked Mal to marry us, and then we had the proper ceremony on Phoros." He grinned. "After that, it was easy."

"No more nerves?"

"Not when I saw her standing there, in that dress her mother had bought her. She looked so … beautiful." His eyes glazed slightly as he remembered her, and he realised just how much she meant to him.

"But before that?"

Simon came out of his reverie. "Well, don't tell Kaylee, but I had recourse to a little of what I've just given you. To take the edge off."

Matty grinned, feeling better by the minute. "I won't blab."

"Besides, my wedding was easy. When Mal and Freya got married, they ended up in jail."

Now Matty's jaw dropped. "You're kidding me."

"Not at all." Simon hitched himself onto the medbed. "It all started when this woman Mal knew …"

Five minutes later Kaylee went past on her way to fix the lock on the passenger shower. She glanced into the infirmary and saw her husband and Matty laughing their heads off, arms wrapped around each other. She smiled. "Nice he's making friends," she murmured to herself, then headed off with a determined look in her eye.

* * *

After that, as prophesied, the women of Serenity spent a lot of time and a little money getting things just right, and succeeded in keeping Jolene from calling things off again.

"Cold feet," Zoe said, sipping tea on Wednesday morning.

"Absolutely," Freya agreed. She nibbled one of the cookies. "Not unusual," she added, brushing crumbs from her shirt.

"I wouldn't marry Jayne for months," River put in. "Zoe was the same, with Hank."

"Ain't that the truth," Kaylee concurred, resting the saucer on her bump. "Took me forever to name the day with Simon."

"And me with Mal." Freya smiled. "Something about the water on Serenity, I've always assumed."

"So you and Matty?" Zoe waved away any objections. "Normal."

"Besides, the baby needs a father," River added, studying a chocolate chip.

"Baby?" each of the other women echoed.

Jolene blushed.

* * *

Thursday afternoon Mal cornered River on the bridge and asked a question that had been plaguing him for a few days.

"Why didn't you take 'em out, _xiao nu_?" Mal asked curiously. "The Laus and their men. We'd'a backed you up, 'though I doubt you'd've needed us."

She shrugged. "You didn't want me to."

"I didn't?"

"If there was any danger they were going to kill us, they would all be dead." She looked towards the mountain, unseen in the distance. "But the Hoard ... is not for us. Too much associated with it."

"I kinda think Jayne would've liked to be associated with a lot of cashy money."

"But it's as you said. No point in being the richest corpse around."

He had to agree.

* * *

That night a huge electrical storm broke over the mountains, and most of the crew took their supper outside to watch. Only Kaylee stayed inside, ostensibly making sure that her girl was ready to go if need be, but in reality scared as usual of such things. Simon, who knew his wife all too well, joined her and soon had her thinking of something else, the deep rumbles of thunder covering her moans of delight.

Not needing to hear to know what was going on, Freya glanced at Mal, who gave away he knew too by the somewhat resigned expression on his face, while Bethie and Ethan sighed in unison and tried to concentrate on the light show. River, on the other hand, explained, somewhat loudly and in more than necessary detail, why lightening occurred, just to keep out the mental sound of her brother having sex.

* * *

On Friday afternoon, as the crew sat around the table in the kitchen, Jayne handed out paper lanterns on long sticks.

"Uh, much as I appreciate the thought," Mal said, eyeing his somewhat suspiciously, "but … why?"

"It's kinda traditional," the big man explained, looking more embarrassed than anyone realised he could manage. "Soon as it gets dark, we go to the cemetery. Visit the graves." He looked down at his feet. "Family thing, Mal. As in the whole family of the man getting married goes and pays their respects. And seeing as you're mine …"

"Jayne, one day I'm gonna get used to the fact that you've changed over the years." Mal dropped a friendly hand onto the ex merc's shoulder.

"Not that much," Jayne complained, shrugging it off. "Not sly, for a start. Just you go ask River." He looked to his wife for encouragement.

"Not sly," she murmured. "Not when you -"

"Not saying you are," Mal said quickly, perfectly willing _not_ to hear about their amorous adventures. "It was more of a compliment."

Jayne nodded. "Then that's okay."

"I think it's sweet," Kaylee said, her lantern waving gently above her head, making her look like a pregnant pixie. She grinned widely. "And a'course we're family. Is there anything we need to do? You know, help things go right?"

Jayne thought for a moment. "Well, if you've got a bottle of your booze spare, we usually take gifts."

She nodded. "Course I have. Got some of the good stuff, too."

"Shiny. My Pa always did like a nip of something on a Saturday night, keep out the cold."

"I'm sure we can all find something," Zoe said softly.

"Nah, it ain't necessary," Jayne said firmly. "Just being there … that's more'n enough."

"Then that's what we'll do," Mal said, his lips curving.

"What about the kids?" Hank asked, handing his lantern to Ben. "Can they come?"

"The whole family," Jayne confirmed.

"Shiny," Ben said, grinning widely.

* * *

As the sun set, Matty and Jolene, along with her two children, walked up to Serenity, their lanterns already lit.

"All ready?" Matty asked, his arm around Jolene's waist.

"That we are." Jayne turned to survey the others, then noticed Simon and Hank were each carrying what appeared to be baskets. "What's that?" he asked.

"We were looking it up," Kaylee put in, walking down the ramp to join him. "And it's traditional to have a picnic too. So we got some food together."

"Kaylee -"

She put her fingers on his lips, feeling the short hairs of his goatee on her skin. "Traditional," she repeated. "And people tell stories. And I know Jolene's got lots to tell about Matty."

"That's true," the bride-to-be agreed.

"You wouldn't," Matty said, looking into her eyes.

She didn't answer, just gazed back, and the colour leached from his face.

Mal smiled. "Come on, then. I hear tell there might be a peach tart in one of 'em." He smacked his lips, making Jesse, sitting on his hip, giggle.

At the cemetery other lamps had already been lit, swaying slightly in the breeze. Jayne and Matty went first, their voices low enough so that no-one else could hear what they were saying. Then they waved the others inside, and they sat down on the dirt. At first it was awkward, no-one knowing what to say as it wasn't something any of them had done before, but when Jayne got out the bottle of engine brew and proceeded to pour it onto the earth between the graves, that broke the ice.

"Jayne! I didn't know you were just gonna …" Kaylee was outraged.

"A gift," River said, leaning against her sister-in-law. "A libation to the gods."

"Don't know about that, moonbrain," Jayne said, sitting back down. "My Ma didn't hold no truck with those kinda thoughts, but … it's tradition."

"Whatever it is, it smelled like a good bottle," Hank put in, breathing in appreciatively.

"Got another in the basket." Kaylee threw back the lid and lifted it out.

The pilot grinned widely. "Now you're talking."

"Peach tart?" Mal prompted.

"Yum," Bethie said, and everyone laughed as Kaylee sighed theatrically.

They talked then, long into the night, as the children nodded off in laps, about families and memories, and the people they missed. As the lanterns began to die, one by one, they parted company, two halves of the same family heading their separate ways.

* * *

Saturday morning found Mal sitting at the big wooden table in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in front of him, immersed in one of Hank's trashy novels. Everyone else was having a lay in. Everyone except Bethie.

"Uncle Mal?"

He looked up to see the little girl standing in the doorway. "Hey, there. You hungry?"

"No. Thank you."

He was surprised. It usually took something pretty big to make this particular Tam lose her appetite. "You feeling okay, short stub?"

"Shiny, Uncle Mal. Only ..."

"What is it?" When she didn't answer immediately, he put the book down and held out an arm. "C'm here."

She scrambled onto his lap, letting her legs swing under his thigh. "Uncle Mal ..."

"Yeah, that's me. Now how about finishing the sentence?"

She bit her lip, then said, quickly, in case she lost her courage. "Hope and me, we ain't given Uncle Matty a pressie."

"Well, I kinda think your Ma and Pa had that in hand."

"Not the same." She looked down at her hands, her fingers all tangled up together. "Uncle Mal, those two coins ..." Her voice trailed off.

He understood. "You think maybe we should give them to Matty and Jolene."

"Well, one's mine." She looked up. "It was in Uncle Jayne's box, and he gave it to me."

"And Hope's?"

Her eyes dropped again. "She found it."

"That she did." He stopped the smile tugging at his lips. "And you think Uncle Matty should have them."

"'Es."

"But you know he can't sell 'em. And it ain't safe for him to keep 'em either. Not if someone was to find out where they came from."

"I know." She wriggled on his lap. "But Momma's got an arc welder ..."

* * *

Jayne was less easy to convince.

"Aw, but Mal –"

"You know it makes sense. We can't keep 'em, and we can't sell 'em. What happens if it gets back to the Laus that we had a coupla coins and didn't hand 'em over? You think they would've believed we didn't know where the rest of it was?"

"I know, but … they're … gold."

"And one way or the other I think Bethie has the right idea. Better they go to some proper use, to someone as can make 'em work for a living."

"We can do that." Jayne pushed his hands deep into his pockets. "Use it to keep flyin'."

"Jayne, much as I like the sentiment, it'd be just too dangerous. We've got enemies enough - I don't think we need any more."

The big man didn't answer, just strode away towards the cargo bay, his boots ringing on the metal staircase down to the floor. He stared at his weights, at Bethie's small set next to them, and with a violent movement he kicked the bench against the wall, the sound reverberating around the cargo bay.

_Caleb has his toy_, he heard in his mind, and he looked up to where River stood outside their shuttle. "That's all that's important," she said out loud.

"Coulda set us up, Riv. You, me, Caleb ... If your bro is right, if they're worth what he says … wouldn't'a needed to do a damn thing for the rest of our lives."

She descended the metal staircase slowly. "Boring."

He watched her, unblinking. "Could'a bought you every little thing you ever wanted. Pretty bits. Fancy stuff. And decent food, too."

River smiled slightly. "I'd get fat. You too."

"Could be fun. Rollin' round in our best clothes. 'Specially made."

"Tents."

He had to chuckle. "So you really think we're better off without being stinking rich?"

"I have you."

"Yeah, well ..." She picked up one end of the bench, and he hurried to take it from her. "I'll do it." He set it back in its normal place, taking the time to gather himself. "So ... the horse. Is it worth much?"

"Not ... intrinsically, no," she said carefully.

Still, he understood. "Pretty much like me, then, eh?"

She stood close enough for him to smell her personal perfume. "No, my Jayne. You are above rubies."


	18. Chapter 18

In some respects, the wedding itself was something of an anticlimax. As promised, Simon kept some of the good stuff on him, but Matty didn't need it. As soon as he saw Jolene walk down the aisle, Katie and Bethie pacing carefully behind her, he knew for absolute and sure certainty that this was the right thing.

And Jolene looked beautiful. She'd let her coil of hair down, and it swung just on the swell of her hips, thick and lustrous. Her dress was plain, but the hem was covered in fresh flowers, stitched on that morning by her friends, and she carried a bouquet of sun orchids.

Standing in front of the Preacher, holding her hand, he blessed the day he'd met her, back when he was seven years old, and as Jayne handed over the rings, a grin so wide on his face he looked half his age, Matty could have floated to the ceiling.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you … Mr and Mrs Cobb."

There was a huge burst of applause that went on for many minutes as the newly-weds walked down the church, congratulated on either side by friends and family.

Everyone hurried to the hall, where food and drink had been set up, and a small band of local townsfolk were tuning up various fiddles, guitars and something that looked like a miniature set of bagpipes.

Matty and Jolene were installed at the doorway, and as the guests entered they greeted the couple with smiles, jokes, and many a heavy hand on the shoulder accompanied by a knowing look.

Serenity's crew hung back, being the last to enter.

Jayne went first. "Done it now," he said to his brother.

"Reckon I did."

"Can't go back on it. Least, not from what River tells me." He glanced at Jolene's flat belly.

Matty blushed "Yeah, well, I …"

"Looks like you'll be needing this." He dropped something over Matty's hand, who clutched automatically at it.

"What the …"

"Wedding gift," Jayne said succinctly,

"Is this what I …" Matty asked, gazing at the nugget in his palm.

"Yep," Jayne admitted, adding hurriedly, "And it ain't from around here anyway, so don't you go looking for no more."

Simon sighed, but kept it low key. Seeing Kaylee melting the coins down made his heart ache. They were almost unique, and one of the very few things he'd ever touched from Earth-that-was ... and that was apart from their monetary value.

"We've been rich," River said, passing by him to stand at her husband's side. "I prefer life now."

"We can't accept this." Matty tried to hand it back.

"Nope." Jayne stuck his hands in his pockets. "Not taking it."

"You don't have a choice, son," Mal said, strolling up, his arm around Freya's waist. "Like the man says, it's a wedding gift. And it's awful bad luck to hand it back once there's been an actual wedding."

Jolene had gone pale. "It's too much," she murmured.

"Some'd say it wasn't enough," Jayne said quietly. "Not for the years I wasn't here."

Matty stared at him, then threw his arms around his big brother. Jayne hugged him back, and the rest of the crew smiled widely.

As Mal oversaw Ethan collecting food for himself and Jesse, Sheriff Dan Jefferson approached.

"Good ceremony," the lawman said.

"That it was."

"Matty looks happy."

Mal glanced across at the newly married man, standing with his arm proprietorially around his bride. "Can't believe his good luck, if I recall the feeling."

"Yeah." He chuckled. "Remember that myself."

"Ethan, that's enough," Mal said to his son. "You won't be able to move without busting something, you eat all that."

The little boy grinned up at him, then carefully carried the plates to where his sister was waiting with the other children, already digging into their share.

"Your gunhand associates with some … interesting people," Dan went on. "I mean, take that Simon feller who may or may not be a doctor. And his sister who just happens to be Jayne Cobb's wife. Some folks might find it odd that these very people resemble a couple of warrants on a pair of siblings that ain't exactly been rescinded yet."

Mal didn't react, but his stillness caught Zoe's eye as she sipped a glass of iced tea, and she tensed. "Is that the case."

"It is." Dan sipped his beer. "A'course, I'm thinking it's just a coincidence. I mean, has to be. They ain't likely to be out here, working a transport ship, and married to a coupla … interesting people."

"No. I conjure you're right about that."

"Thought you might." His gazed roamed across the crowd. "And you might wanna make sure that Jayne and his … interesting friends are away from here before too long. Just got word the Alliance ship'll be here before dawn on Tuesday. To pick up Ephraim Ingleby's body."

"We'll be gone before supper tomorrow night." Mal shook his head minutely at Zoe, who relaxed a micron and put down the knife she'd picked up from the table.

"Good idea." Dan took another mouthful of beer. "Of course, it's a real shame you won't let me put out a warrant on the Laus. Considering what happened out in the desert."

"Well, that's the way life goes sometimes," Mal said, shrugging slightly.

"You know, I happened to be talking to my Pa coupla days back. Nothing specific, a'course, just chewing the fat. And he reminded me of something. Back when I was about eight or nine. This feller brought something he'd found into his office, when he was Sheriff, and I happened to be there. A horse and cart it was, made outta brass or something. Looked to me like there was room for two horses, but what did I know? I was just a kid."

"Sounds … intriguing." Mal didn't want to appear too interested, but he could feel Freya in his mind listening as well.

"Yeah. Oddly enough, he said he found it out near the same place we found you."

"_Huo Yan Shan._"

"That's it. He wanted to go digging for more stuff, but didn't have the money. My Pa said it was probably just lost, so he kept it for six months, but no-one ever came to claim it. He handed it back, and the feller sold it to a guy on a freighter who wanted a souvenir."

"And did he go out digging with the proceeds?"

"Nah." Dan grinned suddenly. "He'd forgotten all about where he found it, so he just got drunk for a month instead."

"Sensible thing to do."

"Yeah." Dan gazed into his mug. "You know, this stuff tastes like piss. What say we go find something a little stronger?"

Mal had to smile. "Must be something about this planet," he mused. "Everyone here likes a decent drink."

"Hell, Mal. Any man who's human likes that."

"And you're a good man."

"You keep talking like that and I'm gonna blush." Dan grinned. "Come on. I know where they keep the good stuff."

Mal followed the sheriff, not surprised to hear Freya in his mind. _Ingleby must have come across it,_ she said, her mental voice caressing his consciousness. _Realised what it was, and worked back to Ezra._

_He had the devil's own luck in guessing the exact spot, though._

_Maybe he spoke to the man that found it. Paid him to remember._

_I don't think I'll be asking Dan that question, though._

_No. Better nobody knows what used to be there._ A phantom hand stroked his left buttock.

_And you can stop that right now,_ he thought firmly.

She laughed.

* * *

Half a bottle later and Dan found himself standing next to Jayne, who was munching on a slice of very sticky and exceptionally creamy cake.

"So," he said, watching the big man swipe an illicit finger around the plate and suck it clean. "You likely to be back in the near future?"

Jayne shrugged. "Up to Mal. And what jobs we can get. Might be a while 'fore we swing by again, but I guess we will at some point."

"Not planning on bringing any more trouble with you, I hope."

"Didn't this time." Jayne grinned. "That kinda lay in wait for us."

"I reckon that probably happens a lot."

"Once in a while. And sometimes it just comes calling."

"Imagine it does."

Jayne studied the sheriff, seeing the resemblance to another man who'd changed his life thirty years before. "You know, you're like your Pa."

Dan smiled. "I think I'll take that as a compliment."

"Meant to be." There was something in the other man's face that made Jayne ask, somewhat tentatively, "Did he … your Pa … has he said anything about me?" He picked up his beer.

Dan didn't answer immediately, letting his eyes drift around the room until they fell onto his father, holding court with his wife and daughters around him. For a moment their gaze connected, then Dan turned back to Jayne. "A little."

"Oh."

"But I ain't taking you in for something everyone's forgotten about."

Jayne looked relieved. "I'm grateful."

"Don't be. Not saying what you did was right, but it was a long time ago, and I can't say I'd've done anything different." He chuckled, a low sound. "And you know how I feel about paperwork."

"Yeah."

"But if you break the law around here, I will arrest you."

"Taken as read."

The two men shared a quiet drink, then Dan added, "'Sides, I don't think you'll be doing that any time soon. Not with what you got to lose." He nodded towards where River stood chatting to Jolene and Deirdra, Caleb at her feet.

"They're the 'verse to me."

"Kinda figured that."

"And Deirdra? You two getting along any better?"

"We're … talking."

"She thrown anything at you yet?"

"No."

"She will."

"Yours do that?"

"Yeah, but she's crazy."

"Must be, married to you."

"That's my wife you're talking about there."

"Yeah, sorry." Dan grinned. "But … yeah, I think maybe there's light at the end of the tunnel for Deirdra and me. And half of that I put down to your missus."

Jayne laughed this time. "Yeah, she hates seeing two people getting in their own way. You should see her when the Cap and Freya are pussy-footing around each other 'cause one of 'em has said something to upset the other."

"Let me guess. It's usually Mal's fault."

"A'course."

"Jayne." River's voice calling across the room had him looking up in time to see Caleb pull himself to his feet, and, on somewhat unsteady legs, start toddling towards him.

In a flash Jayne was down on his heels, his arms held out as his little boy walked into them. Lifting him up high above his head, the big man laughed. "That's my boy," he said, swinging him around.

* * *

Just before Serenity left Ezra, as her engines were warming over, Jayne took one last trip to the cemetery to say goodbye.

Going down onto one knees next to his mother's grave, he brushed the ever-present dust from the headstone. "We'll be back to see ya," he said quietly, glancing across as the flat earth where his father lay. "The both of you. And maybe next time there'll be another little Cobb on the way. But even if Caleb is the only one I ever get, I couldn't be happier. We're a family now, Ma. Me, River and Cal. And the rest of the crew. And that just got bigger, with Jolene and her kids." He smiled slightly. "Seems you just can't keep the Cobbs down."

Glancing around, making sure no-one saw, he reached into his pocket. "Kept this for you, too," he added, digging a small hole at the base of the stone. "Seem to recall when we did that memorial for Wash and the Shepherd we sent money up on one of them rockets. So's they'd have something to spend up in heaven." The smile widened. "Weren't real cash, though. Just paper pretending to be. Not like this."

He laid the sliver of gold he'd sliced from the nugget into the hole and covered it carefully with dirt.

"That'll keep you and Pa in everything you need." He stood up, dusting his hands. "Now I know it ain't exactly one of the Ezran traditions, but I figure it's the right thing to do."

"Time to go," River said quietly behind him.

"How long you been there?" he asked, not looking round.

"Long enough."

"You think Mal'd mind?"

"No. He would approve."

Jayne sighed deeply, satisfied. "Yeah. Figure maybe he would." He felt her slim hand slip into his, and he looked down into her eyes. "So, time we got gone?"

"Yes. Before the Alliance come and lock us all up."

He grinned. "Nah. That ain't ever gonna happen." With a growl deep in the back of his throat, he scooped her up and laid her over his shoulder, striding out towards home.

* * *

_Back in the black ..._

Simon had the Cortex screen out again, laid on the table, studying the catalogue he'd found of the Kugelman collection while Kaylee prepared supper, relishing the fact that she could face food now without throwing up. He tapped the screen. "You know, as big as that shuttle was, if this list is accurate it wouldn't have held even half."

"That's right," Jayne complained, but only half-heartedly. "Make my day."

"No, I'm not actually trying to rub your face in it. I'm only stating a fact. Every single record of the Hoard has note of statues, paintings, sculptures … not just those gold dollars."

"You think it was ever inside?" Mal asked, leaning back in his chair, one heel resting on the old wood.

Simon shrugged. "Some of it, perhaps. From what we found of Ingleby's gear, he certainly seemed to be out in the desert for a long time. It's possible he found it, moved it."

"Where to?" Freya asked over her shoulder from where she was helping Kaylee. "It's not like he had a ship of his own."

"I don't know," Simon admitted. "Nor does that explain why he only walked out with a single coin and not the entire box."

"The water he was drinking was tainted," River put in quietly. "Natural arsenic from the rocks. And the sun beating down on him …" She shuddered.

"You mean he went crazy?" Hank sat back in his seat. "Plain loco?"

River nodded. "Believed the ghosts of the people who died were talking to him. A dead chorus. _Fifteen men on a dead man's chest …_" she sang softly.

"_Yo ho ho_," Mal added, then shook himself.

"And the box was gone, the coins scattered into the dirt when the pilot tried to run away."

"You can see that?" he asked gently.

She nodded. "Chased him, killed him, picked up most of the coins but missed one and the chest."

"The one I found," Jayne put in.

"Yes."

"And the rest of the Hoard? You got any idea what he did with it?" Mal wanted to know.

She sighed. "I don't know. But I don't think it was there."

"Then why fly a virtually empty shuttle to Ezra?"

She gazed at him, her dark eyes seeming bottomless. "Someone could have found it, _jia yan_."

"But nothing's ever come onto the market, _mei-mei_," Simon insisted. "If it had, it would have been all over the Cortex."

"Then it never was, and the treasure is still out there." She turned her head to look at Serenity's walls, but seeing much further. "Hidden by Agincott, perhaps in more than one location. And this was the last. Just a taste of something still to be found …"

There was a long pause until Mal cleared his throat. "That's as maybe, but it ain't putting food on our table. And we are not going treasure hunting, Jayne."

The big man looked aggrieved. "Did I say a damn word?"

"You were going to."

"Was not."

"Jayne, I know you. I know when you lie to me. Your lips move."

"Yeah, but Mal -"

"No. You wanna go off and look for it, you do it on your own time. And on your own ship. And seeing as you don't have one of them, and you work for me, you're staying put."

Jayne opened his mouth to complain again, but River put her hand on top of his and he subsided.

"Come on, now," Kaylee said, resting her fingers on Simon's shoulder. "We need to clear this off so we can get dinner laid."

"And take your foot off the table, Mal," Freya added.

Mal smiled, letting his chair land on all four feet with a thump.

"So, what are we going to be doing?" Hank asked, rubbing his hands together.

Serenity's captain smiled slightly. "Mooney came through. There's a cargo to be picked up on Beylix, then after delivery we can swing around to Persephone, see what Badger's been carping on about these last couple of weeks."

"And where is the delivery?" Already Hank was going through the possible routes in his head.

"Whitefall."

"Patience?" If Hank's voice had been any higher only Fiddler would have been able to hear him.

Zoe stirred. "Sir, is that a good idea? She does have the knack of getting you shot."

Mal shook his head. "Me and her've got an understanding."

Freya turned enough to look full into his face. "Really? Is there something here I should be worried about?"

His eyes screwed up just at the thought. "Darlin', you need to wash out that mind of yours."

"Only the way you were talking -"

He spoke over her, trying to get a certain mental image out of his brain. "I saved her life. That counts for something. And better yet we're just the intermediary in this, not one of the principals. She's not so likely to shoot me just for being the messenger."

"No?"

"Don't worry, Frey. I'll make sure we have sufficient supplies in the infirmary," Simon put in dryly.

"I'd take that as a kindness."

"I can always lend him my armour again," Hank offered.

"That might be a good idea, dear," Zoe said. "It would fit him better than mine."

"And I can make another beacon, in case Patience decides to kidnap him to get inside his tight pants," Kaylee added brightly, putting the platter of bread into the centre of the table.

Mal pushed his chair back, making the legs squeal. "Hey, look, I'm sitting right here! And they're not that tight no more. Besides which, as captain on this boat I ain't having you all thinking you can …"

The bickering continued, the sound of voices barely carrying down the stairs to the lower crew quarters, where Bethie had the other children lined up on her bed, Fiddler at her feet, and she was telling them a pirate story.

"… and to make sure no-one ever told where the treasure was buried, the black-hearted captain killed the men who buried it, leaving their bodies to become nothing but dry bones in the sand."

Jesse shivered. "Not my daddy," she said firmly.

"No," Ethan soothed her. "Our daddy isn't black-hearted." He cocked his head a little. "Brown, maybe."

Jesse giggled, not really getting the allusion, but knowing her brother meant well.

Hope looked up from where she was sketching in the pad Auntie River had given her. "Just a story," she said, her short blonde curls shining in the light.

"And it's not real," Ben added. "Bethie made it up."

The little girl put her fists on her hips, looking not unlike her Uncle Jayne. "Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not. I read all about it on the Cortex. There was this big ship called a galleon, and white sails, just like my ship in a bottle, and there were cannons, and a thing called a crow's nest, and great big chests filled with gold and jewels and -"

"Bethie!" It was her mother's voice calling down the stairs.

She leaned out of the doorway. "Yes, Momma?"

"Time to wash up for dinner."

"'Kay, Momma."

Ethan scrambled off the bed, taking Jesse's hand to help her. "Come on. I'm hungry," he said.

"Mmn," she agreed, and ran out of the room in front of him and up the stairs. He followed at a slightly slower pace, Ben at his side.

Hope waited until they'd gone, then tore the page she'd been working on out of her book. "Here. I did this for you."

Bethie took it and looked at the drawing, feeling that odd surge of jealousy again as she realised once more just how good her little sister was at this. It was the picture of a pirate captain, in a long black coat and a big black hat, standing over three bare-chested men digging in soft sand, a large brass-bound chest sitting on the edge, waiting to be buried.

It reminded her of one of the images she'd come across when she was looking up pirates, and Hope must have seen it too, only being Hope she'd made it her own by giving the pirate captain Jayne's features, while the face of the only digger to be facing out was quite obviously Uncle Hank.

Bethie sniggered.

Hope smiled widely and hurried to the washroom to get ready for supper.

For a long time Bethie studied the picture, then climbed carefully onto her bed to put it up on the pinboard her Momma had put up for her on the wall. Fiddler jumped up next to her, sniffing her feet.

Hope had drawn it really well, and she could almost see the captain's coat moving in the breeze, and smell the salt air coming from the sea.

Listening to see if she could hear them singing, Bethie's mind drifted to the box under the bed, the one Uncle Jayne had said she could have. She hadn't told the others she'd found a secret compartment in it, hidden in the base. Nor the small folded sheet of paper. She'd laid it flat, deciphered the very poor handwriting as best she could. Read the notes on the back, signed with the initials BA.

Shaking her head she climbed down to the floor again. Better that no-one knew about it. She'd seen the avarice in the Lau brothers' hearts. Felt the pull for gold, at no matter what cost. No matter how many men they killed to get it. She shuddered and glanced up at the pirate in the drawing. No, not like that. Ben had been right when he said it wasn't real. At least, not any more. But the Laus were close, as black-hearted as they came, and if they ever heard about the Hoard, if they thought Uncle Mal had lied to them, maybe had kept back knowledge about where it was …

It wasn't far. Not really. But it might as well have been the other end of the 'verse. And she was going to keep her family safe.

"Bethie," Hope called from the bottom of the stairs. "Come on. Time to eat."

"Coming."

More than ever she knew she'd done the right thing. Going into the kitchen the night before, she'd carefully turned on one of the burners to the oven and waited until the map had caught, a flame eating up one side before it flared into nothing but a small grey wisp of ash which she'd rubbed between her hands until it was just a blur.

She thought Auntie River probably knew, and Auntie Frey, but neither of them had said anything, not one word, not even a look. She took that to mean they approved, although she had the feeling there was going to be a lecture before long to all the children on not using the oven unsupervised.

Still, Uncle Mal was right. Better poor and alive, than rich and dead.

"Bethie!" Kaylee sounded as if she was getting irritated.

"Coming, Momma!" Bethie called back, running from her room and up the stairs towards the warm kitchen, Fiddler barking happily at her heels. And not washing her hands just this once wasn't going to hurt her.


End file.
